Nakama
by LinSetsu
Summary: COMPLETE. The young Kakashi is under the future Fourth Hokage, with his team mates, Obito and Midori. They go through the war together and slowly come to realise the reality of their world. AU full explanation inside
1. Default Chapter

Author: Umm, yeah…This is my first Naruto fanfic, and there really isn't much to say, so, I hope you enjoy it.  
**Added Note (May 15th 2005):** If you look at the published date, then you would realise that I started this fiction long (a couple months) before the Kakashi Gaiden. So when it did come out, this became an AU. I am well aware that Kakashi's team mates are Rin and Obito, not Midori and Obito. Although I had guessed Obito right, I obviously got Midori wrong. But I decided that I would leave things the way they are, since Obito had a completely different personality/level of skills anyways. So basically speaking, this is my imagination's version of Kakashi's past. (Basic overview: team mates, teachers, missions, exams, conflicts, wars, Kyuubi, sharingan). So yeah, if you're interested, please read on!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of their characters. But the ones I make up are mine.

**Chapter One: **

"NANI!" screamed a dark blond girl wearing white, hospital robe, tied at her waist with a string. At the moment, she had bandages wrapped around her head and cotton plasters stuck to her face and arms. "Kakashi PASSED!"

"You've_ got_ to be kidding, sensei," said a boy who was similarly clothes and treated as the girl, and although his face portrayed the same shock, he seemed to be able to keep himself under a better check. Before the blond haired man standing in front of them could answer, the girl shrieked again.

"But how! That was such a monstrously _evil_ last test, and he PASSED! But sensei – "

"Calm down, Midori," the man cut in, bending his head a little to come down to her height, and he put his hands on her shoulders. "I'm not kidding by the way," he continued before the girl could burst out again, "Kakashi's a Chuunin now. And you should both be grateful to him, because he brought both of you back with him. Over half the competitors died."

"But still, Kazuma-sensei, that's not fair!" Midori whined, pouting.

Kazuma laughed, "Not fair? What are you talking about? You three were officially the youngest participants in the shinobi history that took the Chuunin exam."

The other boy sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. Midori dropped her head onto her chest. "I'm a failure…I lost to Kakashi…I can't believe I lost to Kakashi…" she kept mumbling.

"So you two managed to get out of bed?"

Midori and the boy looked up quickly to see a silver haired boy walk through the entrance of the hospital. He wore a navy shirt and white shorts, and a navy mask up to his eyes. He also wore the Konoha Head Protecter across his forehead. He seemed casual, and to an extent, even bored. Kazuma straightened, then turned and smiled.

In an instant, Midori was on the silver haired boy, her eyes glaring death at his, her hands grabbing fistfuls of his shirt by his neck and she shook him with all her power. "Kakashi you bastard, I'm going to kill you right here and now!"

"Midori…" Kazuma sighed exasperated and scratched the back of his head. "We're in a hospital," he called hopefully, but the girl wasn't listening.

Kakashi blinked a few times and let the girl shake him. "What have I done this time?" he asked in his usual, bored monotone which made a vein pull dangerously on her temple.

"You…," she whispered through her clenched teeth, closing her eyes and trying to control her temper that rose quite quickly. "You…passed the…Chuunin exam…YOU BASTARD!" She let her fists fly at his face, allowing her fury to burst through her. Kakashi sighed and dodged through the rain of blows and in a few seconds, appeared behind her beside the other boy.

"You've gotten her mad now," the boy said.

Kakashi's shoulder sagged a little as he stuck his hands in his pockets and watched Midori storm back towards him. But Kazuma caught her as she passed him and after a minute or so, got her to calm down.

"Oh, by the way, Obito" Kakashi said, remembering something and pulled out a nearly completely squared goggle from his pocket. He dangled it in front of his team-mate's face. Obito was shocked to see them and his face expressed that clearly. But he quickly recovered, and grinned at Kakashi.

"I thought I lost that in that exam," Obito commented, taking the goggles and fixing them loosely over his eyes. "Thanks."

Momentarily, Kakashi's eyes curled up into a smile, but it hardly lasted a second. By then, Midori was calmer than before, but still in a foul mood.

"Anyways," Kazuma said, intending to keep the water surface still for now, "Obito, Midori, you should go back to your rooms now and rest for another night. The nurses said that you could leave by noon tomorrow, then we'll be continuing our missions."

With reluctant, but obedient replies, the two turned and went back down the corridor to their rooms, which left Kazuma and Kakashi alone.

"Why aren't you wearing your vest, Kakashi?" Kazuma asked out of curiosity.

"It's annoyingly big, sensei," he replied, "And I don't need it." Kazuma chuckled.

"I suppose they didn't expect any six year olds to pass the Chuunin Exam."

Kakashi didn't say anything as the two walked out of the hospital.

"Is there anything you want me to do, sensei?" Kakashi asked.

"No, not for today," Kazuma replied, "We'll meet at one o'clock tomorrow on the bridge and go see what tasks they'll give us."

"Hai," Kakashi replied with a nod and then leaped away as a blur of movement. Kazuma sighed with a small grin as he watched the young prodigy ninja leave before going on to attend to his own daily duties.

Kakashi slowed down once he left the larger masses of houses and people and found himself in the training grounds. He drifted through the trees until he finally stopped and leaned against the trunk of a large tree that overlooked the main field of the grounds, though the leaves kept him covered up. He was bored and obviously had nothing to do so he slid down the trunk to sit down, raised his right knee and let his other leg just stretch out on the branch. His arms hung loosely, with his right wrist on the knee, and he settled down into his own thoughts.

It wasn't long however, before noises below in the training grounds distracted him. He cocked his head to that side and saw a group of kids around his age with a teacher gathered in front of the shuriken and kunai throwing areas. Kakashi assumed them to be from the Ninja Academy. After a brief explanation and example from the teacher, the students retreated back to the line of practice and started throwing the hand weapons at the aiming logs. Kakashi watched the session without really paying attention to it, but was stirred from his daydreaming when shouts of alarm, amusement and anger shot up from the grounds. Before he could assess whatever happened below, he noticed a shuriken flying straight at him and out of reflex, caught it onto his index finger just as it would have struck him in the face. As the rotation of the weapon slowed down and it dropped to the bottom of his finger, Kakashi raised a curious eyebrow and looked down.

It was easy to find the kid who threw it. His attention was immediately on an incredibly thick eye browed boy who was being scolded by the teacher and laughed at by the students.

"I'm sorry sensei, I really am," the boy was saying, his head bowed and shoulders sagged. But in the next second, he straightened and a new determined composure took over his other apologising one. "But not to worry, sensei," he said now in a clearer voice. Then he raised his hand and gave the teacher a thumbs-up sign and smiled a big toothy smile, the sunlight glinting off his tooth. "The next time, I won't miss!" That earned him a big smack on the head, and the other students laughed even harder.

_What a strange boy_, Kakashi thought to himself fiddling with the shuriken in his hand. He took a closer look at the weapon and noticed that it wasn't new. There were clear traces of much use, but it hardly made a difference to Kakashi's expression. It didn't really matter if the boy was practicing much or little. It didn't affect him at all. With his thumb, he wiped away some of the strains made from being struck into wood and with half his attention, he listened to the lesson continued below. It caused him to start remembering about his own year of experience at the Academy. He had entered it at the age of four, and graduated within a year, which was about half a year ago. Few had graduated at that time, but that was considered to be normal. Aside from their Team 2, there had been two others, but those other six had been returned to the Academy, having been judged as 'not quite ready'. Even they had nearly failed the first test, the bell chase. It had been by chance that Obito had come across him during the test and they decided to work together…

(Flashback)

Kakashi stiffened as he heard a few leaves shuffle close by. He quickly looked into the clearing, below him and was reassured that Kazuma was still there.

"Obito?" Kakashi dared to whisper in the lowest possible volume. A moment later, Obito slid down from a higher branch and landed silently and lightly on Kakashi's branch.

"We're never going to get those bells like this," Obito mouthed more than spoke. "We're going to have to work together. Agreed?"

Kakashi glanced back at their Jounin teacher, and reluctantly nodded.

"Good. You get him from the right, I'll move to the left. I'll send off the birds in the trees as a signal."

Again, Kakashi nodded, and without a sound, the two leaped away. Kakashi landed as softly as a cat behind a dense line of trees that was the edge of the clearing and waited for the signal. It came quickly, as a dozen or so birds took flight, and he saw Kazuma glance in that direction. Taking that moment, Kakashi leaped forward, but wasn't stupid enough to think that their teacher hadn't noticed.

His hands flew through a set of hand seals. _Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_ He multiplied into three, and all of them went through another set of hand seals. At that moment, there was a great gust of wind, and the leaves were torn away from the trees. It was then that Kakashi noticed that someone was making the wind, for the direction chanced dramatically and all the leaves soared into a whirlwind shape. _Henge no Jutsu_ Kakashi blended in with the other leaves, not knowing that Obito had taken the same chance to do so. Within the shelter of the trees, Midori grinned as she allowed the wind to die down.

Kazuma hadn't moved from where he stood, but he stood with more attention and awareness now. Kakashi broke his jutsu first and with a small puff of smoke, he immediately started engaging his teacher with taijutsu. A moment later, Obito sprang out of the pile of leaves, quickly followed by one Kakashi's replicas. Then after another second, Midori joined into the fight from the leaf pile. The three of them started to successfully push their teacher towards the trees, and as Kazuma showed a fraction of defencelessness, Midori shot out from the trees and yanked the two bells from Kazuma.

"I see," the Jounin mused with a pleasant smile, and glanced at the Midori he had been fighting, and she disappeared in a puff of smoke to turn out to be the other of Kakashi's replica. The replicas disappeared as well though, and the real Kakashi dropped to his knee, panting. Kazuma was still smiling. _The rumours that claim Kakashi as a prodigy is really true. Combining the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (which _is_ a Kinjutsu) and Henge no Jutsu, then transforming into Midori as well. It's going to be interesting to see how he grows._

(End Flashback)

Kakashi came out of his musing and looked back down at the lesson. Quietly, he got back to his feet and light tossed the shuriken to the ground near the aiming posts, then quickly left. In the fields, the young Gai saw the sun reflect off some metal and then noticed the shuriken digging into the ground. He frowned, staring at the weapon, and then glanced up at the trees.

"Hey, Gai, what are you standing there for? Hurry up!" the students jeered, and that forced him to push that matter to the back of his mind.

"No worries, I will," Gai said enthusiastically, covering up his wonder, and giving them a nice guy pose. The students rolled their eyes, and the teacher's shoulders sagged.

Kakashi flitted through the trees once again, but his pace decreased as he got closer to the village. He stopped on one of the smaller, outer roads, and stood there for a moment, before doubling back the way he came. Come to think of it, he had nothing to do even if he went back to his apartment. He didn't go back to the training field, but went more to the center of the forest. There, he practiced a few fire techniques, before he went back as the sun was setting.

The next day, at the promised one o'clock, Team 2 met at the red bridge that straddled a small river at the edge of town. Together, they went to the main Shinobi center to receive their next mission. No one was really expecting much. It was probably another D rank mission of babysitting, or garbage cleaning. So they were mildly surprised when the Third Hokage announced that they will be doing a C rank, body guard mission.

"Your task is to protect Gamashi Kengou until he reaches his home town, which is located on the outskirts of theRock Country," the Third said, glancing down at the scroll he held. He then looked up passed the four and called in a slightly louder voice, "Gamashi-san, will you come in, please?"

The door slid open, and they all turned around to see a tall, mid-aged man walk through. His brown hair was long, but pulled back into a ponytail, he wore loose, black and grey clothes, and his sharp eyes sized up each of them in turn. When he finished with the three younger ones, his eyes narrowed and he looked across the room at the Third.

"How are these kids going to be of any use protecting me?" Gamashi demanded, crossing his arms across his chest. Midori took quick offence and huffed quietly, crossing her arms as well and frowning at the man.

"They may be young, Gamashi-san," the Hokage explained with patience, "but they have all gone through the proper training. I assure you, that they will not disappoint you. And if, by any chance, anything does happen, Kazuma here is a Jounin. There is nothing to worry about."

Gamashi glanced at Kazuma, who lowered his head in a silent greeting. "There had better not," Gamashi grumbled, "We're leaving in half an hour. Get ready, gaki." With that he turned around and left. A vein was already pulsing on Midori's temple and her quick temper burst as soon as the door was closed.

"Who does he think he is, that geezer! By the end of this trip, he'll be apologising constantly for what he said!"

Kakashi sighed, sticking his hands into his pockets and tried to ignore the rest of Midori's tirades. Instead, he and Obito looked to Kazuma, and he caught their eyes.

"Well, you heard him," he said casually, with his usual, friendly smile, "We'll meet again by the North Gate in thirty minutes, so pack your things during that time."

"Hai," the two of them replied, and dragged their team-mate away.

"Kazuma," the Third said before he turned to leave.

"Hai, Sandaime-sama?" Kazuma replied.

"Be of your guard," he said, "This man seems like he is hiding a few things. I trust that your team will be able to accomplish the mission? Otherwise, I will give this mission to a few older Chuunins."

"Iie, they will be all right," Kazuma assured him. The Hokage nodded, and Kazuma swiftly left.

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Author's Note:

Kinjutsu – forbidden techniques

Hai – yes (for those of you who don't know)

Gaki – little kid (again, for those who didn't know)

Iie – no

And yeah, Kazuma is the Yondaime. It never states what his name is, so I made one up. I would really appreciate a review, but then again, I can never force anyone to review…Anyways, I'm just making up the plot as I go, so I can't tell for sure what will happen. That's about it…Well, bye bye for now!


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: Again, don't own Naruto and its characters, only my originals are copyright.

**Chapter Two:**

Kakashi walked along with the rest of his team and Gamashi through the forest roads, heading north west to theRock Country. They had been travelling for a day now, but they still had a good five days until they would arrive. Midori walked up ahead, seemingly still in a very foul mood. Kakashi and Obito couldn't really blame her. Gamashi hadn't stopped calling them pathetic kids, and wasn't a bit friendlier than when they had first met. He was especially more unfriendly and nasty to Midori. Their teacher stayed beside Gamashi and attempted some conversation and had so far gotten the reason why he was being endangered. Apparantly, Gamashi was the messenger runner of the leader of their town, and he held precious information. His business had been close to the Konoha village, and his leader had given in the order for him to be protected on his way back.

"Who are you being endangered by, Gamashi-san?" Obito asked, dropping back a little to be on the man's right.

"How am I meant to know?" Gamashi replied sharply, "Bandits, servants of other emperors, hired gangs."

"Could there not be the possibility of hired shinobi?" Kazuma inquired casually.

"No," he replied quickly, "The Hidden Rock Village is too far away."

"But – " Obito started to say, but Kazuma cut in.

"Well, if you say so." He gave Obito a calm look, and the boy nodded. Kakashi glanced over his shoulder at the man, then at his team-mate, then at his teacher. He shrugged though, and looked back to the front.

They camped in a small clearing that evening, and while Kazuma and Obito stayed with Gamashi, Kakashi and Midori went to gather dry sticks for some fire.

"He's suspicious," Midori commented, gathering up the fallen sticks.

"Mmm," was all Kakashi said, hinting neither agreement nor disagreement.

"But if other ninjas were involved in this case, then this would have been a B rank mission. The only C rank missions that involve protection is only against gangs and humans. Gamashi is definitely hiding something."

"We'll find out sooner or later," Kakashi replied, straightening and walking back to their camp with an armful of sticks. Midori quickly followed him.

When they had finished eating and started to settle down to sleep, it was decided that Kakashi and Obito stay awake for the first half of the night, and then Kazuma and Midori would take over. Just in case anything happened. Gamashi gave a quiet, rough humph and lay down. Midori curled up under a thin blanket, and Kazuma lay down as well. The fire had died down to a few red, glowing embers by that time, and the night sky was clouded, not leaving them with much light. Obito and Kakashi sat next to each other in silence. Kakashi had one of his legs propped up, while the other was bent flat under the raised knee. Obito sat with his legs crossed.

The minutes slipped by uneventfully, and the two young shinobi remained wrapped up in their comfortable silence. Once in a while, a breeze would filter through the trees and cause the embers to glow for a moment again, but other than that, it was completely dark. But both their eyes had become accustomed to the lack of light.

Kakashi's head had been bowed in thought, when a small noise caught his attention. Quickly, he came away from his thoughts and looked swiftly to his side at the bushes. Nothing was moving now, but he knew that someone or some people were there. He turned to Obito, and noticed that he too was looking in that direction. They caught each other's glances and nodded. Obito moved quietly towards Kazuma, but when he got to his teacher, he found that he was already awake and looking in the direction. As soon as Obito came Kazuma moved his head a little to nod over to Gamashi, but didn't attempt to get up. But he slid his hand over to Midori and woke her up. When she tried to get, he put a hand on her arm and she lay still.

Obito came back to Kakashi and when they noticed what Midori and Kazuma were doing, they sat back down. It took a while for their enemies to come out. A good ten minutes to say the least. During that time, Kakashi and Obito began to talk in whispers, and played small hand gesture games, laughing quietly from time to time.

There was a stir in the night air, and in a second, many shadows leapt into the clearing. At that same moment, Midori, Kakashi and Obito sprang up and slipped between their enemies and Gamashi and stopped the sharp weapons that were halfway to killing their prey. Gamashi awoke with a start and sat bolt upright, but froze in fear.

Obito smirked, counting six surrounding them. "You should look up more information about your opponents before you try and kill them," he said. "Kakashi here would _never_ start playing games and laughing while he's on guard duty, now would you?"

Kakashi's only response was a dry grunt as he twisted the weapons out from his two oppoent's hands and brought them to their midriffs. Both of them backed away. Midori's pair were immediately knocked out by Kazuma, and they stayed close to a fear stricken Gamashi. Obito let his two kunais fall down and as the force suddenly gave way, the foes lost their balance. Obito took this chance to send his knees into their jaws and send them to the ground. Kazuma left Midori to Gamashi and went over to bring together the fallen shinobi and tied them securely together. Four that had attacked him, and two that had been on Midori. While they were knocked out cold, he examined them, much to Gamashi's horror.

"What if more come?!" he screamed, regaining his voice though it was still shaken, "T – There's bound to be more and your leaving these kids to fight them?! What – " The rest of that sentence became a horrified shriek that was higher in pitch than a girl's. Midori winced at hearing this, but looked up to find three other dark clothed people drop down on them. She brought her hands together in a set of seals, concentrated her chakra and created a whirlwind that surrounded her and Gamashi. Momentarily, the three dropped back, but sent in a few shurikens. Midori smirked.

"It's useless," she muttered, as the shurikens came at her, but their speed had almost completelydied downand they dropped at her feet. In a few moments, she heard the three of them cry out painfully.

"Midori, we're finished," Obito called, and Midori let the wind drop. Indeed, she found the three fainted and on the ground, twitching and with black eyes starting to form. Midori cringed at seeing this and glanced over at Obito who was brushing the dust from his hands and grinning.

"Of course, you're the source of doing this?" Midori asked casually, squatting down by one of the men and pulling down his mouth and nosemask. His mouth was twitching and his face was swollen. "Kakashi would have done a more thorough work."

"Heh, that's true," Obito replied, and they both looked over to Kakashi's work of art. His two were lying on their backs with their weapons stuck into the ground above their heads like a grave mark.

Kazuma walked over to the still shaken man and bent down, "Were you not hurt, Gamashi-san?" he asked.

"A…Are you goddamn crazy?!" he shouted, "Letting those kids deal with them and….and have my life risked?! They could have been killed and that would lead to me being killed as well!"

"But they weren't killed," Kazuma reasoned calmly, "And neither were you." He smiled pleasantly, but when it faded, he became more serious. "However, the question I must ask you, Gamashi-san, is why you were lying to us."

"What are you talking about?!" he spat.

"You said that there would be no ninjas involved with this mission," Kazuma stated.

"I…I never recall saying that," Gamashi stuttered.

"What?! You little geezer, that's such a lie!" Midori snapped, "I heard it from way up there and – "

"Midori," Kazuma cut in, and she instantly fell silent. Obito and Kakashi left the discussion and went to gather up the rest of the fallen enemies and tied them up as well.

"Very well, Gamashi-san," Kazuma continued, but his eyes had hardened, "Why did you lie on the mission content? The one you handed in to the Konoha administration."

Gamashi opened his mouth a couple of times, but nothing came out, and in the end, looked away and didn't answer.

"Kazuma-sensei," Obito called, "you can ask one of these guys when they wake up." He pointed at the group of tied shinobi at the edge of the clearing. Kakashi stood behind them leaning his back against a tree, his hands stuffed in his pockets.

Kazuma sighed, and looked back at the silent man. "That is indeed another possibility, Gamashi-san," he said, "But I would rather hear the story from you rather than them."

Gamashi bit his lower lip and frowned, his eyes flicking over to the ground, quickly up at Kazuma, then back down again. Finally he nodded. "Alright, I'll explain everything," he said in a quiet voice.

Midori, Kazuma and Gamashi moved over to where the ninjas were tied. They sat down in a small circle, and Obito joined them. They didn't risk making a fire, and decided to remain as discreet as they could. Kakashi remained where he was, watching over the unconscious men, but the others were close enough so he could hear their conversation.

"It all started nearly a year ago, when our leader started to act a little strangely. It had been during the early winter when one of the five main emperors of the Cloud Country came to our town. I personally don't know what conversation had gone on, but since that time, Hayashi-sama, our leader, has changed. He used to be open and friendly to everyone in town, always generous and content with keeping the peace of our people. However, since then, Hiyashi-sama has been keen on collecting information and data scrolls from various countries, signing contracts with other countries to ally against others and gaining territory. He's so stingy with his money now that the citizens are finding it more and more difficult to simply keep eating three full meals a day. Taxes has also been raised, and instead of crops, he orders the citizens to start working on making weapons. Now a day, he's often locked up in his room, and he's been sending us messengers out to collect all sorts of data, and paying the minimal amounts for hiring protection."

"Do you know anything about the content of these scrolls?" Kazuma asked.

"No," Gamashi replied, "He forbids any of us to look at them, and if he finds out that we have, there is a threat on our lives."

"I see," Kazuma mused.

"I really shouldn't be telling you all this. Even telling you this much means I'm signing my own death contract." Gamashi played nervously with his hands, which seemed very unlike the personality he had shown for the past day. "Will you…will you please not tell Hiyashi-sama that I have told you so much?"

"Oh of course," Kazuma replied with a bit of surprise, as if it had been a matter of fact thing to do. "However, if the Hidden Cloud village is involved in this, then things will get far more complicated," he mused. But then he smiled again. "Anyways, our first and most important task is to get Gamashi-san to his town safely."

"Hai," Obito and Midori said together.

"Just," Midori added, staring at Gamashi through half eyes, "Could you be a bit nicer?"

Gamashi seemed very surprised at the question and blinked his wide eyes a few times, his mouth agape. Kazuma started to chuckle right away, and Obito smiled. But what everyone didn't expect, was Gamashi to laugh. And in a way so pure and friendly.

"I'm very sorry, Midori, was it?" he said when his laughter had subsided, but it still flickered in his eyes, and he continued to smile. Midori's left eye twitched a few times, unnerved by this sudden change of personalities. "After the drastic change in our town, things have gotten so grim, that it seemed to have affected the citizens as well. Everyone is now so wary and cold to strangers, and I used to never trust ninjas. Forgive me about my rudeness. And also…" His smile remained, but turned sadder, and the laughter died from his eyes as he gazed at Midori, "My daughter would be exactly about your age right now."

"Would be?" Obito asked.

Gamashi nodded. "She left us two years ago, to join the Hidden Rock village and become a ninja. That is why I have come to dislike ninjas, for taking away our daughter. She was always so independent and a bright child, but we never thought she would really leave."

A sympathetic silence fell on them. Then one of the bound men groaned and stirred. Kakashi pushed off the tree and kneeddown beside the waking man.

"Could you go back to sleep?" he asked and before the man could open his mouth, his flat hand struck the back of the man's neck, sending a shock through the body and he slumped down again. "Thank you."

Everyone laughed at the comical, dry humoured scene, and Kakashi went back to his position against the tree and got back into his posture. When the mood had lightened up, it seemed that the air was easier to breath.

"What are we going to do with them anyways, sensei?" Obito asked, gesturing to the men. "And where are they from?"

"Well, to answer the second question first," Kazuma replied, "I cannot tell. They didn't show enough of their ninjutsu for me to guess their origins, and they don't carry around any forehead protectors. They either didn't want that to be known, so left them purposefully behind, or they're wannabees who haven't gone through proper training."

"Oh, that's possible," Midori said, glancing over at them. "No wonder the likes of Obito could treat them like a punching bag."

"Ahem." Obit coughed loudly into his hand.

"Anyways, Kakashi, Obito, you should get some rest before sunrise," Kazuma said, getting up and moving over to Kakashi. "Midori, you can sleep as well if you want to. I'll keep guard over them. And Gamashi-san, there is no obligation for you to stay awake as well."

Kakashi left his post and went with Obito to get all of their belongings and move it to their newlocation. Then without much conversation, they dropped off into light sleeps. Midori protested that she would stay awake and sat beside her teacher. Gamashi stayed awake for a while, before he nodded off.

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Author's note: Yeah, some symbols didn't get included in the last chapter so I'll see what I can do to fix that problem. I've got a better idea for a plot now, and I'll keep working on it during class tomorrow. . I don't get bad grades for nothing, you know. Lol. Anyways, please R&R if you like!

Thank you **Leilani **for the first review!! 


	3. Chapter Three

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto yadayadayadayadaya. You know it all.

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**Chapter Three:**

Kakashi woke up as the sun rose over the horizon, and he sat up to find his teacher sitting still beside the tied up men. His eyes trailed down a little to see Midori curled up under a blanket at Kazuma's side. Kazuma glanced at Kakashi and smiled. Obito stirred next to him, and slowly sat up as well. He yawned and stretched out his arms, then rubbed the sleep from his eyes under his goggles. He blinked a few times mumbled a good morning as he yawned again. Then his gaze fell on Midori and he laughed quietly.

"So much for the stubborn efforts of trying to stay awake," he said. Kazuma glanced down at her and smiled gently. He moved his hand to stroke her head, and she curled up even tighter, drawing the blanket closer to her body and mumbled something inaudible.

"Midori, it's morning," Obito called.

She gradually opened her eyes, found the morning light too bright and clamped them shut again, turning around and facing the tree trunk to get the sun away from her eyes. Kakashi got up and woke Gamashi up, then went to get some breakfast. Obito sighed at Midori's stubborn efforts of getting up. He got to his feet, and walked over, then shook her.

"Mi-do-ri!" he said with exaggerated pronunciation.

"…What…?" she mumbled with her eyes still closed.

"You were meant to be on guard duty," he replied.

"Guard…duty?" she muttered, then her eyes flew open and she bolted upright, her head colliding with Obito's with a loud thud. They both fell backwards, with pained cries, Midori holding a hand to her forehead and Obito rubbing his chin.

"What was that for?!" Obito demanded, pushing himself up on his elbows and glaring at his female team-mate.

"Stop the accusing voice!" Midori spat back, "It was your fault for having your head so close!"

"It wasn't my fault that you fell asleep during your _guard duty_." He forcefully emphasized the last two words, and if possible, the 'duty' even more.

Midori growled dangerously, but found nothing to say and settled down to simply glaring at him.

Gamashi, who had no trouble waking up with such a racket, chuckled. Kazuma got up from his position and got in between the two before the fight would turn physical. Kakashi glanced up from their bags and simply shook his head before turning back to his task. He carried back some food and then folded up all the blankets and placed them back into the bags.

With Obito and Midori still bristling at each other, the group had their breakfast and got ready to depart again. When they had all gotten their bags onto their backs and started out of the clearing, a sudden shout from behind attracted their attention. It was from the group of tied up men.

"Hey, hey! What about us?!" those who were awake shouted. They struggled in vain against the ropes. "Haven't got the nerves to kill us?" they jeered. Obito and Midori, who needed something to vent out their anger, spun around with weapons in their hands and were about to jump on them, if Kazuma hadn't held out a hand to stop them. They looked up at their teacher, who was staring over his shoulder at the men with cool, hard eyes.

"Ah, yes," he said in a calm voice, and he turned around to fully face them now. The men gulped at the look in Kazuma's eyes and their next few comments froze in their throat. Kazuma narrowed his eyes, and a few seconds passed in tension. "I forgot about you," he said with a light laugh and scratched the back of his head.

The men literally fell on their faces, dragging the rest down with them at such a foolish, casual reply. Even Obito and Midori lost their composure, their eyes turning simply white, round and twitching, their jaws dropping a little. Kazuma laughed apologetically.

"That's not possible!!" the men screamed, rolling and pushing, trying to lift their faces from the ground. Waterfalls of tears ran down each man's face. Kazuma scratched the side of his face with his index finger, the smile still on his face.

"Kazuma-sensei!" Midori snapped, regaining her composure.

"I'm terribly sorry," he said.

"But it's still a valid question, sensei," Obito said, becoming serious again. "It's not like we can haul them along."

"Mmm…" Kazuma took up a thoughtful posture, but quickly shrugged. "I suppose we can just leave them. They're no harm to us anymore."

"Leave them?" Obito repeated with a frown.

"Well, not literally of course," Kazuma replied, "We took away their weapons so they can't do anything to Gamashi-san." He shrugged again, and retraced his way back to the group and cut the rope that bound them. "Go back to where you came from, and never try anything like this again," he said, and his smile instantly disappeared, and the men were faced with cold, narrowed eyes that hinted death if the order was no obeyed. The look sent shudders through their body, as each one got a taste of how dangerous the blond man could be. Grabbing their few still unconscious comrades, they scrambled away in the opposite direction, fearing the death that they could clearly imagine in the hands of this ninja.

Kazuma watched them quickly disappear, gathered the rope and then went back to join the group. The icy expression had long since faded from his face, and was replaced with his usual, friendly smile. He stored the rope in his bag for future uses.

"Well, shall we get going?" he suggested, and this stirred everyone again. They began to head in the direction of Gamashi's homeland.

Within the next four days the group encountered several attempts of ambush, just they weren't ninjas but normal gangs and seemingly a bunch of trouble makers. Kazuma allowed the three young shinobis to take care of them. It was always the same procedure. They would come in groups of three up to seven, always relaxed and making fun of the group. Once Obito, Midori and Kakashi were through with them, however, they would each be sprawled on the ground, out cold, or barely conscious, cursing them. If one of them were in a foul mood, the cursing would immediately be turned into pleas of mercy after several more seconds.

However, during these days, Kakashi came down with a cold. It hadn't been too bad at the start, but as each day passed, it grew worse. Still, Kakashi didn't seem to be too bothered with it, and managed to persuade his team that it wasn't anything to worry about.

On the fifth day, Gamashi mentioned that the landscape was looking familiar and added that they had already crossed the border and within another day they would reach his town. The landscape had gradually been turning into more flat, grassy grounds, but the amount small, rocky hills also increased. The trees thinned away, and forests came only in small patches.

They were walking beside a large river, the width being around 150 meters at the least. The flowing was smooth and made little noise despite two rocky, small cliffs flanking it.

"Ne, Kazuma-sensei," Midori said as she walked beside him.

"Mn?"

"Do you think that the enemy is really trying so hard to get the scroll by sending in normal gangs?" she asked.

"I doubt it," he replied, "I suppose they're still trying to see how high we stand. Testing us, to put it simply."

"Well, it does well to strengthen your taijutsu, Midori," Obito said as he dropped back a little to join the conversation.

"Shut up, Obito," Midori snapped.

"Don't get mad at me for stating facts."

Midori would have shot something back at him, if the river wouldn't have suddenly burst upwards. Kazuma tensed and threw a kunai into the water, and they heard it hitting several other metal items. When the water subsided, they saw a few weapons lying on the ground that the kunai had stopped.

"Seems like we won't be able to get away with just taijutsu here," Obito muttered, stepped back to surround Gamashi. Kakashi and Midori did the same thing, each pulling out a kunai and holding it at ready. Kazuma stood close by, staring at the other side of the river.

There stood a tall man, and in front of him, were three younger people, a few years older than Kakashi and his team. Immediately, they noticed the markings on their forehead protectors: ninjas from the Hidden Mist village. Judging from the younger three's clothes, they were a group of Genin with their Jounin sensei.

"Keh, they're just little kids," one of the Genin said, his arms folded across his chest.

"Babies should go back to their mommies before they get hurt," another, a girl said in a spiteful voice. The third boy remained in silence, his gaze moving from one to the other on the other side of the river. Their teacher's eyes locked with Kazuma's, neither showing much emotion. Obito, Midori and Kakashi weren't so stupid as to let the nasty comments get to them, which Kakashi thought was queer since they were at each others throats with simple insults. Which proved the fact that they were only joking (even if they didn't know it) when they bickered.

"Let me give you some advice. Underestimation leads to defeat," Obito commented, casually sticking on hand into his pocket.

"Of course, only if you're willing to accept advice from 'just little kids'," Midori added calmly.

"You're far too overconfident, brats," the first boy said, "But then again, I suppose you wouldn't know anything about reality."

"Getting too cocky for just beating a few normal people," the girl sneered.

"Well," Kazuma cut in with his usual, casual tone, "I thought you weren't going to show up after all. There had to be someone behind all those assaults on Gamashi-san. I suppose your one of them."

"It wasn't expected that a bunch of worthless gangs could get you down, but that was the order," said the Jounin of the Mist. "And so, who are you? Obviously from the Hidden Leaf village."

"During a greeting, I believe one asks for names after one has introduced oneself," Kazuma replied simply.

"Hn." The other Jounin grinned without mirth. "Fine. I am Himura Jyakou." He then pointed to the boy to spoke first, then the girl, then the silent boy, speaking their names in turn, "Genka, Miyaka and Kuraba. Your turn now."

"Yukisaka Kazuma. They are Midori, Obito and Kakashi. So tell us, what ninjas from the Mist Country are doing so far away from their homeland."

"We were asked to retrieve something from Gamashi Kengou," Jyakou said. "Surely you knew that already."

"I had a vague idea," Kazuma replied. They were playing the polite, innocence game, testing each other, tugging and prodding, trying to extract as much information as possible.

"I suppose you won't willingly step down, will you?" Jyakou asked.

"I'm afraid that isn't an option."

"Ah well, it will result in training our Genins even further, so that's a positive effect."

"Does it really have to go to the point of physical fights?" Kazuma inquired. "Is there no way of working something out between us?"

"Well no," Jyakou replied, "That isn't possible, unless you decide to hand over the scroll."

"Ah, so you know about the scroll," Kazuma pointed out, "And you mentioned something about orders before as well. Meaning you're someone's underling."

"That is certainly correct, and if you must know, it is Mizukage-sama. And also the owner of this particular mission."

"And you know the background of your mission?" Kazuma asked.

"The same could be asked of you."

"Yes, of course."

"Then why don't you start first," Jyakou offered.

"Because I was the one who is asking, and it is your team that is getting in our way."

Jyakou laughed lightly, and when he was finished, his smile was cruel, his eyes narrowed and dangerous. His part of the acting was clearly finished. "I despise these games, Yukisaka. Especially when my partner is such a clever ass at talking, and when I know nothing will come out of this game. The chat is over."

"Unfortunate," Kazuma said as he too, became a little more serious, "that we could not solve this in any non violent ways."

"There is a way, though, Yukisaka," Jyakou said. Kazuma raised his eyebrows, "If these three – " He indicated to his three soldiers, " – lose to your three, then we will leave you at peace, for this time. That will leave one less bloodshed."

"If we turn it around and make it that only we two fight, then there will be even less bloodshed, I do believe," Kazuma tried.

Jyakou smirked, "Clever idea, but the point of missions is to raise the Genins quickly. Thus, the answer becomes a no."

"And if I do not agree to your deal?"

"We, as well as the kids fight, and if one of your show even a slight chance, then the man is automatically sentenced to death by one of us. If we let the Genins do the work, then you can stay by your client and face the one of mine soldiers when they defeat one of yours."

"Your plan from the start was making the soldiers fight," Kazuma said quietly.

"Yes."

Kazuma was reluctant, and he hesitated.

"Kazuma-sensei," Midori said softly, and he glanced at her, "You can trust us. We won't lose." She smiled reassuringly, and so did Obito, who nodded as well. Kakashi simply nodded. Kazuma seemed a little surprised, and his gaze lingered on Kakashi as he coughed, but nodded back nonetheless.

"Just be careful," he said, "But if I see there's serious harm, I'll step in. There won't be any arguments, you'll come back to guard Gamashi-san while I take care of the rest." He was very serious.

"Hai," Midori said, and the other two nodded their assent. "In order to protect Gamashi-san, we can't lose," she said.

"Thank you," Gamashi said, "And take care."

Midori smiled at him, and nodded.

"Well then, since the chattering seems to be finished on your side, shall it begin?" Jyakou asked, retreating a few steps and leaning against the rocks. The five Genins and one Chuunin fell into stance, and as a bird let loose a single cry somewhere in the distance, they leaped away from the ground and disappeared.

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There we go…Sorry for the wait; I was in London for the class trip. It was good to come up with some great new ideas though. Hopefully, the next chapter will be up soon. First cliff hanger! And believe me, there's many more to come! Muahahahaa.

Thanks again **Leilani** for your review!


	4. Chapter Four

No, I don't own Naruto…can I stop saying this now?!

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****

**Chapter Four:**

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The choosing of foes happened quickly, and by chance. None of the six young ninjas had anyone they wanted to fight so much that they would forcefully get to that opponent. Nevertheless, as Kazuma watched, the pairs came out to be what he expected. Genka against Obito, Miyaka against Midori, and Kuraba against Kakashi. His eyes trailed the last pair and painfully noticed the slight difference in Kakashi. His composure wasn't normal, and if one could say his usual fighting style was 102, then it had dropped now to 99. It was a very slight drop, and it would still be hard to defeat him, but Kazuma knew two things. One, he knew that he didn't know how strong this Kuraba was, or in that case, how strong any of them were. Two, he knew that Kakashi's so called 'cold' wasn't anything to speak of as 'nothing to worry about'. No matter how much of a genius ninja he was, or how fit his body was due to shinobi training, it didn't change the fact that he was still six, a mere child. There was a limit to the body, and Kakashi was pushing it.

Keeping close to Gamashi, Kazuma moved back a few steps, close to the rocks so that at least one side was covered. His eyes still flicked to and fro, following the various fights that flashed by quickly. Once in a while, he would glance across the river at Jyakou, who had his arms crossed over his chest, and was grinning as he was looking up.

Kakashi knew fully well it wasn't an ideal day for him to be fighting. Since he had woken up, a headache had been starting to grow in his head, and now if he jerked too quickly, he found a haze of dizziness cloud over his eyes. To make things worse, it didn't seem like he could end this fight quickly. Kuraba was quick and clever, clearly well trained, and seemingly used to fighting true enemies. Kakashi landed on the water surface, then quickly leapt up again as the water exploded beneath him. He went through a few still unfamiliar seals of the technique he had just recently mastered. He waited until Kuraba was in the air, then took a deep breath. _Katon__ Goukakyuu no Jutsu_. Kuraba countered that with a water technique, and as the two elements clashed, a sudden cloud of thick vapour spread widely. As Kakashi dropped, he noted the rough whereabouts of Kuraba. When he landed on the water, he pulled out two kunais, deftly wrapping thin wires to them, and taking the other end between his teeth. He looked up and threw the weapons.

Kuraba hadn't moved from where he had landed, choosing to wait rather than attacking. He barely managed to jerk his head to the side as weapons whizzed passed and got crammed in between two boulders behind him. He didn't have any time to act, before two streams of fire ran across to him. He leapt away before they could do any harm. He narrowed his eyes. "Don't underestimate me," he whispered as he started going through a set of seals.

"I don't." The sudden voice came from behind Kuraba, and startled, his hands froze and he whipped around. Kakashi was quicker this time, and his foot connected heavily against Kuraba's chest, knocking him backwards. Kuraba found the air knocked out of him, but that didn't prevent him to flipping backwards and landing on a large stone in the middle of the river. He looked left and right at the two Kakashis that he could see now, as the vapour had thinned out.

"I see now," he muttered as he regained his breath. "You used the fire knowing that I would use the water, and in doing so would create the vapour. When visibility was at the worst state, you used it to create a Kage Bunshin. The fire across the wire was a simple distraction so my concentration wouldn't be on your replica." His voice was deep, yet soft and dangerous.

Kakashi's second disappeared in a puff of smoke and he coughed, resisting the urge to hold his head as it pounded painfully. He had originally planned to end the fight there, if it hadn't been for a moment where he had felt so nauseous he couldn't even get through a hand seal while having his replica still alive.

Kuraba got to his feet and suddenly grinned thinly. "Well, I appreciate your skills. Now I go to my limit and see how strong I really am."

They leapt away at the same time, exchanging a few blows and skidding here and there, neither of them getting the upper hand. Then Kuraba flashed through seals and the water bristled around him. Kakashi waited to see if he could manage to dodge whatever attack without wasting his chakra. The river erupted and roared towards him. Kakashi flicked his hands through a set of seals once again. _Goukaryuu__ no jutsu_. The fire burst out from his mouth and caused the water to be held back for a moment, but it soon disappeared.

A startled Kakashi could only lift his arms up to his face, and was quickly thrown back, the power of the water overwhelming him. _Goukaryuu__ was too small for the attack?!_ He winced as he hit something hard and uneven, but it held him there until the water had died down. As he slid to the ground, he coughed out the water that had gotten into his mouth and focused to getting his breath back. His head was pounding fiercely now, and a haze came over his eyes a number of times, nibbling at the edges of his vision. He pushed himself up a little, but his attention was quickly diverted to Midori and Obito, who came flying down towards him, barely getting their feet under them before landing with difficulties. Genka and Miyaka landed smoothly on the water, and Kuraba soon joined them.

"Your not bad for your looks," Miyaka commented with a smirk, "But it's still ten years early for you to beat us." Both Obito and Midori were breathing quickly, and though their opponents seemed to have received some damage, theirs were worse.

"Heh, even in ten years, if you haven't gone through what we have, you'll never be able to defeat us," Genka added.

"What you've gone through…?" Midori muttered.

"Killing humans," Kuraba breathed.

Midori shuddered, just by hearing it said like that. Obito's eyes widened, and Kakashi narrowed his eyes.

"What did you have for your graduation exam?" Miyaka sneered nastily, going a few notes higher and making sissy noises for the last two words. "Henge no jutsu? Bushin no Jutsu? Kawarimi no jutsu?"

Genka laughed. "How pitiful! Anyone would pass such exams. But ours is different. Our exams prove exactly who is strong and who is weak." He smirked as he lifted his hand and slid his kunai across the palm. The blood oozed out and he brought it up to lick it. When he looked up again, there was a hollow, icy gleam in his eyes. "All the students are paired up, and one between the two must be killed. The number cuts down to half, and only those who survive are called true ninjas."

"Those who found it difficult to maim their friends were simply giving up. And the give up was death," Miyaka added.

"To us, you're not even qualified ninjas, but a group of kids who know of only a protected, peaceful land," said Genka.

"One needs to stay alive before one can become stronger," Kuraba said, "One needs to kill and defeat to become stronger."

"What wrong kiddies," Miyaka taunted, "So afraid that you can't even speak?" She bent down and reached out to grab Midori's hair, but Midori was quicker. She reached up and tightened her hand around Miyaka's wrist, and smiled.

"I don't care what you've been through," she said, lifting her head to meet Miyaka's eyes. "I think I'm lucky to be born in the Leaf village, but it isn't my problem that you've been through a tough exam."

"It doesn't affect us," Obito added, getting to his feet and brushing the dirt from his trousers and fixing his goggles. "And it won't change the outcome of this battle."

Miyaka drew her hand back and glared at the three.

"Kuraba, if I remember correctly," Midori said as she too, straightened. "Your thinking is a bit off. You don't need to kill and defeat people to become stronger. Kazuma-sensei always told us. When you find someone that you really want to protect, that's the first time you get stronger. And we have people we want to protect here."

"Kazuma-sensei, Gamashi-san, and our team-mates," Obito listed.

"Sorry," Midori said with a smile, "We can't let you win."

Kakashi slowly straightened, barely following with the conversation. Even the slight change of posture made a horrible dizziness strike him. His breath felt hot against his lips, and he didn't his best not to sway. Still, he concentrated with the last of his efforts, and leapt away with Obito and Midori.

Now the fight was all combined into one, and they leaped this way and that, using speed and taijutsu. But quickly, Kakashi leapt back, his hands flying together in various seals, his eyes closed in concentration, attempting to ignore his inner discomforts. _Katon__ Housenka no jutsu_. Balls of fire sped from his mouth and surrounded the three Mists. Midori and Obito had flipped backwards the moment they saw Kakashi retreat. The fires leaped vertically into the air, creating a circular wall. Kuraba extinguished this with the technique he had used before, but Midori acted quickly. _Ninpo__ Kaze Kamaitachi_. Slices of wind cut through the water mingled with normal blasts of air, partly causing the water to slow down, and attempting to damage their foes.

Obito and Kakashi came together quickly, and went through identical seals. _Goukaryuu__ no jutsu_. All their combined attacks stopped the water, and went even as far as overwhelming it. The tables had turned. The Mists were hurled backwards, and Kakashi was keen to end it quickly. The air got stuck in his throat, and he coughed sharply. As he started to quickly lose his chakra and concentration, his feet sank a little into the water, and had nearly made his knees buckle. He was losing time though, as Kuraba started to recover.

Kakashi closed his eyes and prayed that he had enough concentration to have the technique work. After the seals, he slammed his right hand at the water. _Doton__ Iwatou no jutsu_. The ground rumbled and quaked, and within the next second, three thin mounds of rocks flew from the ground where the three Mists were. Each shaft drove into the Genins so sharply that they coughed out blood and were thrown very high, then landed by their teacher's feet. Jyakou looked furious when they tried to get up, but was swallowed into unconsciousness. He clenched his fists and ground his teeth. With only a glare and snarl at Kazuma and the victors, he snatched up his soldiers and leapt over the cliffs and left. Gamashi sighed with relief.

Midori and Obito smiled and was about to congratulate Kakashi on mastering new techniques, but their words of happiness soon turned to alarm. Kakashi sucked in sharp, uneven breaths, and even as Kazuma started to run towards them, he fell forward and sank into the water.

"Oi, Kakashi!" Obito yelled, immediately dropping down and pulling his comrade up. Kazuma immediately took the limp Kakashi from Obito.

"Kakashi!" Midori yelled, "Kakashi!!"

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Yeah, it is kind of short…Well, a bit shorter than the other three. Ending was kind of copied from the anime, but it's not exactly the same…. And didn't I say there was going to be more cliff hangers? Anyways, a few translations:

Kaze Kamaitachi: wind wickling winds (that's the literal translations…umm…that's kind of from the anime/manga too, but I did add a bit to make it original…in a weird way.)

Iwatou: rock towers (another made up technique)

Oi: kind of like 'hey' (no, not the greeting!)

Well, there you have it.

**Leilani : **thanks for always reviewing! (hugs) lol, I suppose it has to be a really outstanding fic to get a lot of reviewers…I wonder if it's the summary, hehe…I did change it though. . But really, a big thank you to you. If you hadn't reviewed, I don't know if I would have kept going after the first chapter. (hugs again) ****


	5. Chapter Five

Ha, guess what? I don't own Naruto. Wasn't that something new? Anyways, sorry for the bit of wait!

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**Chapter Five: **

Kakashi stirred and slowly opened his eyes. When the blur slowly faded from his eyes, he found himself looking up at an unfamiliar, wooden ceiling. He tried to remember how he had gotten to the place, but couldn't recall anything at all. He heard the sounds of a meal going on close by, but the thought of food made him queasy. Pushing himself upright, he looked around the room. The room was dark, due to the fact that it was already after sunset. The few windows to his left proved that. The room was relatively small, with a few items here and there, cupboards, drawers, small tables and so on. To his right was a door that was closed. He found himself in a futon bed, and in unfamiliar night clothes that were much too big for him. The sleeves were folded up and he assumed the trousers were as well. In front of him, a bit of light came through a mostly closed shoji door, and the noise came from that direction.

While he examined his surroundings, his memories came back to him, and as he remembered nothing from the moment he had known the Mist ninjas were down, he found it safe to assume that he had black out then. He didn't have a headache anymore, and he felt quite all right now. Touching his forehead, he noticed that his protector had been removed, and glancing at his side, he found the protector, his other pouches of items and weapons, and his clothes all stacked there. His mask had been left on.

Kakashi drew his legs out from under the blanket (yes, the trousers had been folded up a lot) and slowly stood up, just in case the headache decided to come back and haunt him again. It didn't, to his relief and he walked over to the door. He slid it open and had to squint at the sudden onslaught of bright light. He brought a hand up to cover his eyes and barely saw someone jump at him.

"Kakashi!" Midori shouted, immediately sliding off her chair and tackling him happily. Kakashi blinked, his eyes finally getting used to the brighter atmosphere and he looked down at the girl who nearly made him trip backwards.

"You're finally awake," Obito commented with a smile. He was sitting at a wooden table off to the side of the kitchen with Kazuma, Gamashi and another kind looking woman.

"How are you feeling?" Kazuma asked while Midori detached herself from Kakashi and lead him over to the table where he sat down on an extra chair.

"I'm fine," he replied, then continued to mumble less audibly, "Sorry to cause you trouble."

"What trouble?" Gamashi demanded with a frown while smiling, which made his face look strange. "Oh, and by the way, this is my wife, Nanami."

"Nice to meet you, Kakashi-kun," she said with a friendly smile. "I'm glad to hear you're feeling better."

Kakashi bowed his head. "Thank you, nice to meet you too."

"Would you like something to eat, you must be hungry," Nanami said.

"No thank you," Kakashi replied quickly.

"Are you sure, a drink then?"

"I'm fine, really." He glanced at Obito. "How long has it been?"

"Two days," Obito answered, taking a drink of water. Kakashi was fairly surprised to hear this. Midori saw the expression flash on his face and she laughed.

"I still can't believe a cold could get you that badly though," she said.

"Kakashi, if you're not feeling well, then you should tell us," Kazuma said. "If you hadn't have fainted, then it could have gotten even worse before and after we got here."

"…Hai…" Obito and Midori were still laughing quietly together, and Kakashi raised his eyebrows. "What?" he asked.

"Nothing," Obito replied quickly, still smiling, his shoulder trembling from his resisted laughs. Kakashi looked at the pair strangely, and glanced at Kazuma and Gamashi for any possible explanations, but didn't find anything other than the fact that they were quite enjoying and understanding the whole scene. Even Nanami was smiling. Kakashi frowned and stared at Obito, but his team mate refused to explain anything.

(Flashback)

Obito, Midori, Gamashi and Kazuma with Kakashi in his arms arrived at the town shortly after the fight had finished. They had travelled at the quickened pace, and Gamashi had breathing fairly quickly at that stage, not really used to the long distance jogging. Kazuma could feel Kakashi shivering as his body temperature rose so high that the air felt cold against his skin, causing his body to shiver. Gamashi lead them to his house where Nanami greeted them, and immediately got a bed ready for Kakashi while Gamashi went to get a friend of his, who was a doctor.

While the doctor examined Kakashi, the rest of them sat tensely close by, while Nanami brought them some tea. When he was finished, the doctor sighed and leaned back to stretch a little, then turned to the anxious group.

"Well, he has a severe fever, and traces of strain against his illness. It will take a while for the temperature to go down, and even if he's recovered, he shouldn't do a lot at first. It's surprising that such a small boy could have fought against the viruses for so long. It's been going on for at least three or four days, am I correct?"

Kazuma nodded and Midori asked worriedly, "What's wrong with him?"

"Hmm…I can't exactly tell," the doctor replied with a thoughtful frown and looked down at Kakashi. "Maybe…" The gathered people hung on to every syllable. "Yes, I'm pretty sure…It must be that he has…crooked teeth."

"Ha?!" Midori and Obito crashed to the floor, their anxious anticipation of some kind of serious disease giving way to the sudden, unexpected answer. Even their teacher seemed a little startled by what he got. Gamashi brought a hand up to his face and shook his head slowly.

"Eh?" The doctor looked up with a surprised looked and blinked in confusion. "Did I say something wrong?"

"What's wrong with his body that got him in this state?!" Midori all but shouted, emphasizing every word.

The doctor smiled, then laughed, much to the wonder of all the others, and even Midori's anger went down a notch or two. "It's just a bad cold," he informed them.

Midori and Obito went down again with a loud crash.

(End flashback)

Kakashi remained seated at the table while the others finished eating and they talked a little about what had gone on the past two days. It wasn't much, since they had all decided to wait for Kakashi to get better before going to meet the lord. Gamashi had already gone the day after they had arrived, to hand in the scroll he had been ordered to retrieve. Obito and Midori had gone around the town without their shinobi items and dressed as normal children to familiarize themselves with the surroundings. And that was really it.

After the meal was finished, Nanami urged Kakashi back to his room to get some sleep, insisting that he had been up enough after just recovering from high fevers. Midori and Obito went with him, and they turned on the lights in the room.

"We'll tell you about the town," Midori said, bringing a piece of paper and pencil while Kakashi slid his feet under the covers and Obito sat down beside him.

"'Town' is an under exaggeration," Obito commented, "It's nearly as big as Konoha Gakure."

"Yeah, we nearly got lost a few times," Midori added, drawing various lines and blocks, explaining the basic outline of the town, the routes in and out, the lord's estate and other important areas. After another while of talking through the town's statistics, Kazuma came in and the three wrapped up their discussion.

"I just got a message from the Hogake-sama," Kazuma said seriously, holding a thinly wrapped up piece of paper in his hand. "There was clear evidence today that a group of new Chuunins were ambushed by ninjas of the Hidden Cloud village. Political attempts of peace seemed to have been completely neglected, and the Hidden Rock village has seemingly broken the fragile balance that had begun to form between our village for the past few months."

"Oh, not good," Midori muttered. "Was anyone hurt?"

"I don't know," their teacher replied, "The letter was brief, here, I'll read it to you. _Kazuma, Cloud ninjas have attacked new Chuunins. Also Hidden Rock village has broken the balance. Be on your guard and return swiftly after your task is done. The Third._ That's it."

"So what are we going to do from now?" Obito asked.

"Well, if Kakashi feels up to it, I think we'll go and visit the lord, let's say the day after tomorrow. And then we'll have to see from there."

There wasn't much talking after that, as they all prepared to go to sleep. Obito lay down a futon in the same room as Kakashi, and Midori and Kazuma slept in the room that was connected by the closed door that Kakashi had noticed earlier. They kept the doors open, finding no need to be separated from each other, and Midori still wasn't at the age where she really minded sharing a room with the opposite gender. Obito, who had an older sister, knew how it was like, but he doubted with Midori's character that she would ever become like that.

* * *

Kakashi woke up in the middle of the night and sat up. Either because he had had enough sleep over the past two days, or for other reasons, he couldn't get himself to fall asleep again, so as silently as possible, he changed into his normal clothes. He was feeling perfectly well now. He reached out to get his forehead protector and weapons pouches, but then stopped and left them on the floor. Better not to attract attention, just in case anyone was out in the streets at such a time.

He glanced at the other three and made sure they were undisturbed before he crept to the window with much care and stealth as possible. Sliding the window open, he took a light jump onto the thin frame, and quickly looked outside. He was on the main floor of the house, so the ground wasn't far from where he was crouched. He was looking into an alleyway that led out to streets on both ends. The next house was a few meters away, and above him was another level to the house. Kakashi stepped away from the window, but quickly stuck his feet against the wall just below. Pulling out a thin piece of folded paper, he crammed it between the glass of the window that he was closing, and the frame, so he could open it again when he came back. When that was done, he dropped the rest of the way and landed almost silently on the dirt floor. As soon as he felt the ground under his bare feet, he remembered about shoes, but he had no clue where they were.

So he took a moment to take out two rolls of bandages and wrapped them around his feet and ankles. He usually used them to wrap around his calves, but it was the only way he could think of in order to not get his feet so dirty to stain the house when he got back. But feeling the wind against his skin felt nice and refreshing. Straightening, he walked to one end of the alley, first made sure there was no one around, then flitted through the shadows, trying to match the drawings Midori had drawn to the real places.

Kazuma opened his eyes as Kakashi's head disappeared behind the window and considered following him. But that thought quickly faded as Obito got up, glanced at Kakashi's empty bed, then the window, and he left the room through the door soon after. Kazuma turned his head to the side at Midori, and noted that she was still fast asleep, so decided to stay, just in case she woke up and panicked because no one was there. Still, it didn't stop him from worrying a little about the two of them. He knew fully well they were capable to defending themselves and they weren't the type to go looking for trouble themselves. Still…

Kakashi slipped past many of the houses, once in a while climbing on top of a large building to see his whereabouts with more clarity. He was careful though, not to become very vivid against the half moon, always staying in the shadows of the silver light. On the west side of the town, he found a relatively large (for the region) forest with a river flowing through the middle of it. Kakashi had never really been one to study maps with keen interest, but now he vaguely wondered if this was the same river as the one they had fought over a few days ago. He kept off the ground, for the main reason of not leaving marks on the damp floor, but also to keep his feet as clean as possible. As soon as he came upon the river, he dropped down onto one of the many large boulders that flanked it.

Just then, Kakashi tensed and whipped his head back as a small pebble flew passed him and dropped into the river. He remained tense and ready to jump away, but his eyes widened with surprise when he saw who it was.

"Obito," he muttered, as his friend jumped lightly down from the branches and landed on the boulder beside Kakashi's. Obito grinned and tossed over a pair of shoes which Kakashi caught out of reflex.

"At least remember to put on your shoes Kakashi," Obito teased, sitting down on the rock.

Kakashi smiled, and despite the mask covering his mouth, his eyes curled up. "Thanks," he said. Obito always wondered what someone's first impression of Kakashi would be, if the first expression they saw was that smile. When Kakashi smiled, he looked like a normal six year old boy full of laughter and joy. Well, that was a really rare trait amongst shinobi nowadays. Still, Obito liked it when Kakashi smiled. It reassured him that Kakashi wasn't too negatively affected by his atmosphere. That brought up a thought.

"You _are_ always welcome to come and live with us, you know," Obito said.

"Thanks Obito," Kakashi replied, "but it's alright."

Obito sighed quietly. He had offered Kakashi, who had no family, to come and live with his family. Each time, his friend had refused politely. Kakashi never talked about his past, or his parents who had died when he was very young. All Obito knew was that they had both been very strong ninjas and that they had died protecting the village during the many previous wars.

"Well, if you decide you want to, come anytime." Obito had ended almost every other offer of living with them like this. To brighten up the mood, he decided to take up another subject. "Nice job fighting the Mists by the way. When did you master the Goukakyuu? I've never seen you use it before."

"Recently," Kakashi replied simply.

"Everything's recent, huh?" Obito said with a knowing smile. Kakashi raised a brow. "The last one you did. The Earth technique." Kakashi merely shrugged and stared at the flowing water, watching the moon's reflection rippling.

"Kakashi."

"Mm?"

"The three of us make a good team, don't you think?"

Kakashi glanced at Obito and found him watching the river flow as well. When he caught the glance though, he looked up and smiled.

"Nothing can beat us as a team." Obito's eyes curved into a confident, friendly smile. Kakashi was taken aback a little at the sudden topic, and wondered why Obito had started to talk about it, but almost naturally, his eyes softened. Only a small change, but it was definitely there.

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There we go. And by the way, I have a week of holiday now from school, so I'll have _plenty_ of time to write new chapters! (evil laugh)

**Translations: **

Futon: it's like a foldable, thin mattress that the Japanese sometimes use. Not so much in houses now, but in the past, and in traditional hotels now. During the night, you can take them out and lay them down to sleep on, and during the day, you can fold them up and put them in the corner or in a cupboard.

Shoji: Those sliding doors that the Japanese use.

I think that's it…if there's vocab that I've missed out and you don't know, please tell me!

think that's it…if there's vocab that I've missed out and you don't know, please tell me! And if you don't understand my explanations and would rather have pictures, try searching for them in google. There's a few good pics to clarify.

**Leilani**: Thanks again for your review! Since you were wondering what was wrong with Kakashi, I decided to add that in. Nothing to worry about. And plot's getting there! Woohoo!

**HikaruOfArrow** lol, thanks!


	6. Chapter Six

Yeah, I made a bit of a mistake with Sachiko and Nanami in the last chapter…will make sure to fix it up…And no, I hope I don't need to keep saying this over and over and over again… . Naruto isn't mine. And that goes for all the chapters!!! Ha! Take that, you disclaimer demon!! Lol.

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****

**Chapter Six:**

****

"Ohayo," Midori yawned as she stretched her arms and walked into the kitchen where everyone was already seated.

"Get moving, sleepy," Obito teased, "Yesterday was fine to sleep in, but we're going to the lord's estate today."

Midori glared at her team mate, but shrugged and sat down, thanked Nanami who brought her a tray of breakfast and started eating. Kakashi was already finished and simply sat there. It had been a day since he had woken up, and though he still took some medication that the doctor had given him, he seemed fully recovered. She yawned again.

"Where's Kazuma-sensei?" she asked, noting that he and Gamashi was also not there.

"He went out with Kengou a bit before you woke up," Nanami said, sitting down with a cup of tea.

"Hmmm." Midori looked up from her food and a new picture on the wall drew her attention. It was a younger Kengou and Nanmi, crouching on either side of a young girl who beamed out of the photo. Her dark blond hair was tied into two braided pigtails, and her brown eyes shone with delight. Obito and Kakashi noticed her staring at it and turned around in their seats to see it as well. Nanami followed their gazes and smiled gently.

"I found that last night," she explained.

"Is that your daughter?" Midori asked.

"Yes. Has Kengou told you about her?" They nodded, and Nanami went on, "After she left, we were so sad that I had thrown that picture somewhere deep in the storages. But after seeing you three, we seemed to have come to terms. Especially Midori-chan, you remind us so much of our Misa-chan."

"Misa-chan…" Midori muttered her name and continued staring at the little girl. She remembered Kazuma saying that the Iwa Gakure no Sato (1) had broken their deals with Konoha. She took her eyes off the picture and smiled reassuringly. "I'm sure Misa-chan will come back someday."

Nanami seemed somewhat surprised, but her smile quickly returned. "Thank you."

Midori finished her breakfast and the three thanked Nanami before leaving the house. Again, they didn't wear their forehead protectors, and kept only one kunai and shuriken in hidden places. Once they stepped out of the house, they saw Gamashi and Kazuma walking down the street towards them. There were quite a number of people walking in the street, but they paid the three children no attention other than a quick glance.

"Well then, let's get going," Gamashi said, and Midori noticed a drastic change. His voice was cold and demanding, as were his eyes, like the first time they had met. Then it struck her. He was _meant_ to act like this towards them in public. They walked in silence through many various streets, ones that Obito, Kakashi and Midori had rarely come across during their short time in the town. The people they passed became fewer for each corner they turned, until they were alone and looked up at a majestic building built on a low hill.

With a few words from Gamashi, they were able to get passed the many guards and into the threshold of the lord. They went under a large, wooden gate and into a beautiful garden. They were lead to the entrance of what seemed to be the main house and entered. Taking off their shoes, they stepped up onto well polished wooden floors if a typical Japanese household. Gamashi lead them down the corridors, stopping in front of a certain shoji door and lowered himself onto his knees. The others followed suit.

"Hayashi-sama, they are here," Gamashi said.

"You may enter," a deep, cold voice said from within, and Gamashi slowly slid the door open and stepped inside with the others following him. He closed the door again and they all sat down halfway across the long rectangular room. The lord, a tall, lean man, wearing a men kimono, with his greying black hair pulled tightly across his head and tied in a very short and stubby ponytail high up on his head, like how old samurai had worn their hair. His face was drawn, in stress, Kakashi assumed, and age had wrinkles forming at the edges of his eyes. Nevertheless, his almost black eyes were hard and cold, narrowed and almost to an extent of angry. He sat straight with his hands balled on his lap. Beside him on his right was a nervous looking woman, about the same age and wearing the same, rich clothes. Either a very strange advisor or his wife. On his left was a young man, no older than twenty-five, who wore a loose grey shirt and black trousers. His hair was cropped short, his eyes bright yet revealing almost nothing. Beside him were papers and scrolls along with pencils and pens, and it was safe to assume that he was the advisor.

The moment the four ninjas had entered the room, they knew immediately that something was wrong. Midori and Obito stiffened, but Kazuma gave them a quick warning look, and they tried to act relaxed. Kakashi took in the details of the room with a quick glance, and noted that the only exits were the door they had come through, and the open doors that led out onto the outside corridor and past that into the garden. From where they sat, they could see the town below them.

"Gamashi, are these the hired body guards that insisted on meeting me?" the lord asked.

"Hai, Hayashi-sama," Gamashi replied, lowering his head to the ground, "I am very sorry for this."

"And what do you want from me?" Hayashi demanded.

"Only to ask you something, lord Hayashi," Kazuma replied casually. "It will not take long."

"Well then, hurry up and ask."

"How do you see your town?"

Hayashi narrowed his eyes dangerously. "We are poor and people are dying everyday from hunger. It is all I can do to stop the civilian fights and keep other lords off our land. Nevertheless, there are attacks and the town is growing smaller each day. Houses are being deserted and the people are demanded change. And you ask how I see the town?! Can you not see the suffering for yourself?!"

The four shinobi were not too surprised to hear such a contradicting statement to reality, but Gamashi was startled. "But Hayashi-sama – "

"Silence Gamashi," the lord snapped and continued to glare at Kazuma.

"Then perhaps, my lord, you should step out and really see the town for yourself," Kazuma said, bringing his hands together quickly. _Kai_. Nothing seemed to happen, but the lord's eyes widened and he blinked, getting slowly to his feet and looking all around him. Kakashi, Obito and Midori felt the air become lighter and knew what their teacher had done.

"Lord Hayashi," Kazuma said, "You have been trapped within a Genjutsu, an illusionary world."

Hayashi gasped when he looked out at the town and saw how it really was faring. Kazuma stared at the young man who had sat beside the lord. He clenched his teeth and reached behind him for something. The three young ninjas were already in between the advisor and the lord when the former rushed at the latter with a kunai in his hand. The woman gasped in shock at all the sudden movements, and that got Hayashi's attention. He spun around and what he saw added to his shock.

"Kashin, were you…"

The advisor stopped before he reached the three blocking his way and turned his shoulder a little as Kazuma rose, to half face him as well. "This is the reason I advised you not to allow these ninjas to come, Hayashi-_sama_," he sneered, mockingly emphasizing the last word. "Yes it was me all along. If you had listened to my advice, then you would have been able to live."

Kashin started to form seals, and it surprised the two Genins and Chuunin. _Are you kidding me?_ Midori thought. _He's been keeping up a Genjutsu everyday for almost a year now and he can still perform other Ninjutsu now? _She brought her hands together and started to mold her own chakra, and she could feel the other two were doing that as well. But whatever technique Kashin was planning to use, never came. Kakashi quickly noticed his shocked face and saw a thinned shadow connected between him and Kazuma. He sighed and relaxed.

"Wha…Your shadow?" Kashin muttered.

"Haven't you heard of it?" Kazuma asked, "_Kage__ shibari no jutsu_. But that's not important. I want to know two things. Which hidden village do you come from and what were you ordered to do?"

"Ha, like I'd go telling you lot everything about myself," Kashin spat.

"You don't _have_ to," Kazuma informed him.

"But it would be _better_ to," Midori finished, pulling out a kunai from her sleeve where she had secured it with bandages. Kakashi pulled his kunai out from under his bandages wrapped around his calves. Obito took a step back and turned around.

"Are you all right, Hayashi-san?" he asked.

"Uh, yes I – " He stopped his sentence when Obito started forming seals. When he noticed the lord staring at him, he smiled and winked before becoming serious again and closing his eyes to strengthen his concentration. Kakashi noted what his team mate was doing, and saw Kashin visibly tense, then grin.

"Like a kid's Genjutsu is going to affect me," he mocked. Obito smiled as he turned around and opened his eyes. Kakashi passed his kunai to Midori and went through similar seals to form another Genjutsu, and a second before it was activated, Obito dropped his. Kashin kept his confident look, still bound by Kazuma's shadow. Obito now activated his, and Kakashi dropped his, and this continued for a while, as they each showed Kashin scenes of his possible deaths. When that didn't bend him enough, they included Midori. In the split second that both Genjutsu were off, Midori threw the two kunais at Kashin, and Obito immediately activated his technique. Kakashi appeared in front of Kashin and caught the weapons and tossed them back to her. The other ninjas lost his smirk and became more serious. The three younger ninjas repeated the steps with the moment of reality becoming shorter and shorter, and also shortening the amount of time the Genjutsu was activated. Once Obito acted as if to use the Goukakyuu no jutsu, and Kakashi finished it with his illusions. Another time, all three of them overlapped each other's illusions, and as Kashin witnessed one of his deaths, one illusion would disappear and he would be faced with another one. Slowly, Kashin's mental mind turned into a turmoil, too dizzy to figure out reality and illusionary. His eyes started to widen and fear stroked his features, cold sweat rolling down his face. He began to shout in alarm and didn't notice that Kazuma had released him.

To those watching all of this, they seemed confused, but didn't miss the gradual changes of the victim. Finally, with a horrified scream, he fell to his knees, his hands grasping his head as he panted.

"Okay! Okay! I'll tell you! Stop this! Leave me alone!" he cried. The three glanced quickly at their teacher, and with a nod, they dropped all their Genjutsu at once and left Kashin to Kazuma. Midori went to Gamashi, Kakashi to the lord's wife, and Obito to Hayashi, just in case Kashin tried to do anything to anyone. Kazuma knelt in front of Kashin.

"Answer the questions," he said quietly, "Which hidden village do you come from and what were you ordered to do?"

"I…was meant to…" Quicker than anyone in the room could follow, Kashin drew forth a kunai and stabbed Kazuma's chest. Except, that Kazuma caught his hand just after he had drawn the weapon and his grip tightened around the wrist. Kashin winced at the surprisingly painful hold and started to glare at Kazuma, but as their eyes met, he froze. As badly as the Genjutsu had gotten to him, the look Kazuma was giving him was almost worse. Before he knew it, Kashin had spoken the answers to the questions. "Kumo Gakure no Sato (2). I was to keep the lord persuaded to follow along with whatever plans that came from my country." Kazuma stared a moment longer at the man, but found no lies in his eyes.

"Then return to your village and report that your attempts have failed," Kazuma ordered. Kashin backed away, then sprang to his feet and without even sparing a glance at anyone in the room, fled from the estate and they could watch him take a direct route out of the town.

"It's surprising how many people underestimate you three because of your age," Kazuma mused, his familiar smile on his face again.

"It does come to our advantage though," Midori said, giving Kakashi his kunai back and pushing up her sleeve so she could fix hers back, though she doubted she would need it again that day. Kakashi bent down to slip the weapon under the bandages again.

Hayashi turned to Kazuma and his team and bowed his head deeply. His wife smiled, came over to his side and bowed as well. "How can we repay you for what your have done for us?" Hayashi asked.

"Simply to take care of your town and its people," Kazuma replied. Obito and Midori smiled, Kakashi kept to himself as usual, and they turned to leave. The lord and his wife bowed low again, and Gamashi followed the four ninjas. They walked in mostly silence back to Gamashi's home, where Nanami was waiting at the entrance. As soon as they came in, she asked how it had been. When she heard the story, she was overjoyed, and promised to make a special meal that evening.

"Gomen nasai, Nanami-san," Kazuma said, however, "We must be on our way. There seems to be trouble in the village, and we have to be back as soon as possible."

"Oh, I see," she said, her face downcast a little, but it lightened up quickly, "If you find peace again, please come again, anytime."

"We will," Midori promised as she and her two other team mates went to gather their things.

Within ten minutes, everyone was assembled at the front door.

"Thank you again for everything you have done for us and the town," Gamashi said. "And sorry to cause you all the trouble getting here."

"It wasn't a problem," Obito replied. Kazuma smiled as they said their goodbyes and thank you. Midori was the last to walk away and when the rest of her team called to her, she nodded and turned one last time to Nanami.

"Next time, I'm sure you'll meet the real Misa-chan," she whispered to the two parents, smiled widely and then ran after her team.

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Translations:

Ohayo: good morning

Kai: it's just the word used to breaking Genjutsu…

(1) Iwa Gakure no Sato: Hidden Rock village

(2) Kumo Gakure no Sato: Hidden Cloud village

Kage shibari no jutsu: aka Kage mane no jutsu. The one that Shikamaru uses. I doubt it's a technique that only that family can use… I took the older name for it.

Gomen nasai: sorry in polite form

Does it annoy people if I keep I keep using Japanese? If it does, I can always stop, but I just thought if you want to learn simple phrases, or see how it's used…(shrugs) Heh, I'm Japanese so I'm not dying to use it, but it's up to you all!

**Leilani** The sickness wasn't really a sickness, just a simple cold and high fever…Thanks for always reviewing!

**HikaruOfArrow**thankies! ****

Forgot to mention before: suggestions are always welcome if you have any!

Thanks for reading!

-Fanyar-


	7. Chapter Seven

**Chapter Seven:**

Travelling at the quickest pace they could manage, Kazuma and his team arrived back in Konoha very late on the second day of their journey. Kazuma had pushed the pace to the maximum that the three could follow, but still, by the time they returned, they were panting, dirty and sweaty. Nothing had happened during the trip back, but as they drew closer to the center of Fire Country, they could all feel disturbances in the forests and couldn't help but get the uneasy feeling of being watched at times. Once within the walls of the village, the four stopped and took some time to regain their breaths.

"I need to go hand in the reports and see the Third," Kazuma said, then smiled, "Mission completed, well done. You're free until further notice. Get some rest, especially you, Kakashi."

Kakashi's eyes seemed to reflect a pout and they all laughed. "I'm fine, sensei," he insisted.

"No, you aren't," Kazuma corrected, shifting Kakashi's protector and briefly touching his forehead. "Make sure that fever doesn't come up again."

"Hai," Kakashi replied. Without another word, Kazuma disappeared and the three were left alone.

"Well, I guess we'll see each other around," Midori said. Obito and Kakashi nodded, and Midori turned down a street towards her house. The two boys walked down one of the empty main streets in silence. After a while, they stopped at a junction.

"I'll see you in the morning, Kakashi!" Obito called as he headed down another street, and Kakashi raised his hand as his reply. Then he moved on a little further, until he came to his apartment. He fumbled around his pockets for a moment before retrieving the keys, and then closed the door once he was inside. The room was quite small, with a kitchen to the side, his bed and desk in the main room, and a bathroom to the left. The moonlight streamed in from the window directly in front of him.

Not bothering to change, Kakashi slipped off his forehead protector and weapons pouch, and placed them on the small shelf at the bed's head. He fell down onto the mattress, relieved to be back in his own bed, and fell instantly to sleep.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Kakashi woke up with the sunlight stinging his eyes. He turned over onto his stomach and clamped his eyes shut. Still, he couldn't fall asleep anymore and resigned himself to waking up. He sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, swinging his legs to the side of his bed and looked at the clock. 9 o'clock. No wonder the sun was so high. Kakashi got up and went to take a shower, enjoying the cool water rubbing against his skin. Once he was out and dressed, Kakashi took a bite of some of the food in his bag, and left the apartment.

He avoided the crowded streets and walked mainly through narrow alleys and only crossed the main streets to get across the village. He paused once when he found himself on the edges of the training grounds, and looked around at the familiar area.

"Kakashi!"

He turned around to see Midori and Obito heading his way. He blinked, a little surprised.

"I don't remember making any appointments," he said as they stopped beside him. Midori grinned.

"I caught Obito this morning," she explained.

"She wants to learn the Goukakyuu," Obito mumbled, his voice doubtful that she can actually manage it. Midori struck his head with her fist and he let out a short cry.

"Want to come along?" she asked with a forceful, sly grin and a mean glint to her eyes.

"Uh, I'll excuse – "

"You _will_ come along, won't you?" Midori cut in, speaking through clenched teeth, her hand grabbing a fistful of his shirt collar. "After all, you know the technique."

"I think it's safer if you agree," Obito whispered into his ear, and Kakashi sighed with resignation. "I wonder how she became such a violent girl." That earned him another painful bruise on his head. They walked further into the fields, where they could no longer see the village anymore. Obito, still rubbing his head and reluctant to teach such a cruel mannered girl sat down on a rock.

"The seals are Snake, Sheep, Monkey, Boar, Horse, Tiger," he said, and while he spoke, Midori formed the seals silently. Once he got used to the pattern, she looked up, and Obito continued, "To perform this technique, you have to draw chakra from your mouth to your chest, hold it for a second, then release it immediately."

Midori went through the seals again and sucked in the air, but Obito and Kakashi both hurriedly stopped her.

"Wait Midori!" they both shouted in alarm.

"What?!" she snapped.

"In the river!" Obito shot back, pointing left, indicating a small river. "Do you plan to burn this place down?"

"Oh." She blinked, stuck her tongue out and grinned sheepishly. The two boys sighed with relief. Kakashi sat down on the ground beside Obito's stone and they watched their team mate walk to the center of the river, facing against the flow. Her hands deftly flicked through the seals, her chest expanded and she preformed the technique.

Only, a fire the size of a candle flame trailed out of her mouth. Obito sighed and shook his head. Kakashi raised an eye brow. Midori coughed into her hand, the colour rising to her face.

"I was just warming up!" she called, and repeated the technique. There was no difference in the size of the flame.

"This'll take a while," Obito commented quietly.

"Why does she suddenly want to learn the Goukakyuu?" Kakashi asked.

"I have no idea," Obito replied. "Some sort of rivalry within the team, maybe?"

"Rivalry?" Kakashi repeated with a frown, "Between who?"

Obito rolled his eyes at his friend's obliviousness. He pointed a finger at Kakashi, then at Midori. Kakashi raised an eyebrow again, his eyes moving to stare at Midori, who seemed to take a liking at acting as a lighter.

"I don't see why, though," he muttered, leaning back and resting the back of his head against the rock. He stared up at the blue sky, streaked with thin clouds here and there. The breeze brushed through the fields occasionally, which was nice to have under the hot sun. Obito, seeing that his friend had no interest in continuing the conversation slid down a little on the rock and lay down his head as well, locking his hands behind his head.

"Wonder how long the peace is going to last," Obito mused quietly, speaking to himself. He was mildly surprised, therefore, when he got an answer.

"Ideally, forever," Kakashi said, and then continued in a grim voice, "But that's never going to happen. As for this war, I suppose this is just the calm before the storm."

"Yet another storm," Obito corrected, "And hopefully, it will be the last, at least for a few generations."

Kakashi didn't reply, and the peaceful silence continued between them, with Midori's sounds of frustration floating over once in a while. They ceased as the minutes dragged on, until they finally ended. Kakashi sighed and closed his eyes. Obito turned to look at their team mate, and cringed.

"Here she comes," he mumbled ever so quietly. And indeed, in a moment, the girl was perched on the peak of the small rock, staring at Obito and Kakashi. The latter opened his eyes half way to look up at her silhouetted face.

"How can we help you, mademoiselle?" Obito asked in an innocent tone.

Midori didn't answer right away, as she was looking rather uncomfortable and glancing away from them. "Hint?" she finally muttered timidly and guiltily. Obito sighed heavily, pushed himself upright and turned to face her.

"It isn't an easy technique, Midori," he said, "So it's normal that you can't get it the first few times you try."

"Theoretically speaking Genins aren't supposed to have enough chakra for it," Kakashi added.

"Then how can Obito manage it? And you're practically a Genin!" Midori snapped.

"He's a genius at the same time," Obito said, practically at the same that his other team mate spoke.

"It's expected of him," Kakashi said.

"Anyways," Obito went on, "There really isn't any hints with this. Just keep your concentration and don't rush it."

"Can you show me just once?"

Obito paused, but then agreed. "We shouldn't be lazing about in any case," he said over his shoulder as he walked towards the river. Kakashi shrugged and followed along with Midori. Obito preformed the technique, and Kakashi noticed that Midori was looking at his every move with a very serous face. Once Obito's flames had died down, she stepped onto the water and tried again. Now that he was close enough to see the details, Kakashi realised that Midori did everything perfectly, and he didn't see any external flaws that caused the result to be such a small flame.

"Leave it at that for today, Midori," Obito said, walking back towards where Kakashi stood with his hands in his pockets. "Instead, let's play a game. If we can beat Kakashi genius here, then he shows us his face."

"Ha? What kind of a game is that?" Kakashi asked.

"Let's just say, a curiosity game," Obito replied with a smile, "Besides, you've never shown us. You eat by yourself, and you keep it on even when you sleep. Plus, it'll be training, since we don't seem to have any missions today."

Midori grinned. "Nice creation for motivation, Obito," she said.

Kakashi sighed and gave up on trying to persuade them out of this so called game. _I knew I shouldn't have come_, he thought hopelessly as he started to evade their attacks.

At sunset, Kakashi sat on the same rock Obito and sat on in the morning, trying to catch his breath. His clothes, face, arms and legs were remarkably dirtier than before, and he had gotten himself a few scratches here and there, but he was much better off than the other two. They lay sprawled on their backs on the grass in front of him, panting and sweating, with a few very shallow cuts, and some of their clothes torn a little. Midori had her eyes closed, dirt smeared against her hair and skin. Obito had pulled off his goggles and Konoha forehead protector to allow some air to cool off the covered area. They lay by his right hand, and his left forearm rested over his forehead, wiping away the sweat. The area around them was no longer very peaceful, as a few holes and scorch marks were decorated over the field. Almost every part of the grass was trampled over, and the trees seemed a bit spikier and unnaturally bent in places.

"Ah! We were so close!" Midori said between gasps of air.

"Not really, but if you want to think that way," Obito replied.

"Shut up Obito," she snapped, but it was anything but angry sounding.

Kakashi turned to look towards the line of trees and called, "Kazuma-sensei!"

Midori opened her eyes and sat up, and Obito did the same thing, looking puzzled. They glanced at Kakashi and where he was looking, and were surprised to see their teacher walking over towards them.

"When did you notice?" he asked Kakashi.

"When we passed the trees there," he replied. Kazuma smiled.

Midori fell back onto the grass with a groan, "Fine, I admit we were no where near getting him," she said. "You had time to look around in that chaos?" Kakashi shrugged.

"Sensei, we don't have a mission from now, do we?" Obito asked, replacing his goggles and protector. Kazuma laughed lightly.

"No we don't," he answered, to everyone's relief.

"Then were you here just to watch us?" Midori asked.

Kazuma shook his head once, and his face grew grave. "We just had a Jounin meeting," he explained, "And we were all told to tell our students that none of you should leave the village borders unless on a mission. Two youngsters from the Academy were brought in this morning, heavily injured by other ninjas. It's doubtful that they would openly attack Konoha yet, but it seems that they aren't pretending to be innocent."

"Kids from the Academy?" Midori repeated with a frown, then sighed, closing her eyes again. "Aren't they getting a bit cocky and full of themselves?"

Kazuma smiled again. "How did it go with the Goukakyuu, Midori?" he asked, changing the subject.

Midori sat up and tilted her head back to look up at her teacher. "How did you know I was practicing it?"

"When you start to practice your first fire technique, the fingers that you bring close to your mouth usually gets burned a bit, until you know how to adjust the size of the fire," Kazuma replied simply, kneeling down and turning over her hand to reveal that the skin on her thumb and index finger were quite raw.

Midori looked away with a slight pout and muttered something about getting it down soon. Kazuma chuckled and ruffled her hair a bit.

"Well then, we'll start with the missions again tomorrow, so be ready."

"Hai," they replied, and they all headed back towards the village, talking casually and discussing the long fight they had just had. Dusk saw them walking down the path leading to the village, Midori doing most of the talking with Obito adding in a few comments occasionally, but mostly staying next to Kakashi, who was silent. Kazuma was smiling and patiently replying to the talkative girl.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

And so the days would roll passed, the days counting up to months, the months to years, until four years had gone by.

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I know, it is a bit shorter than the average…Sorry for that…Don't think I need any translations for this chapter…

**Leilani**, **HikaruOfArrow**: Thanks yet again for always reviewing! Uhuh, we'll see more of Misa-chan later on. Not to worry! Will definitely write more. If it weren't for you two I would have stopped by now. Thanks a bunch!! I really appreciate your reviews! (hugs both)

Thanks for reading!

-Fanyar-


	8. Chapter Eight

**Chapter Eight:**

"Gyaaaaah!"

Kakashi dropped down from the high branch where he had been standing and landed almost silently on the grassy floor of the clearing. Obito and Midori quickly followed and they inspected their catch. Midori sighed and shook her head, squatting down beside the two shinobi who were out cold and twitching. She poked their cheeks but nothing changed.

"That's what they get when they one, trespass into other countries and cause trouble, and two, underestimates us," she said getting back to her feet.

"Mist ninjas from Kiri Gakure, eh," Obito observed. "Konoha seems to be really disliked lately. If it weren't for the alliance with the Sand we would have been oppressed from all sides."

"But the treaty with them is still new," Kakashi pointed out, "They can betray us without guilt."

"Guess so," Obito agreed. "In any case, let's get these two out from the middle of this clearing and let's head back."

Kakashi and Obito each dragged one across to a line of dense bushes and deposited them there. Midori chuckled as she took one last look at the two's shocked faces.

"If there's anything we can do well, then it's the combined Genjutsu," she commented as they leapt back to the branches and moved on.

"Yeah, but it gets annoying after about three years when you have to constantly trap them each time you leave and come back to Konoha," Obito replied.

"It's easier when Kazuma-sensei's here, but nowadays, he hardly comes on missions with us," Midori said, moving her head a little to avoid some leaves.

Obito raised an eyebrow under the goggles he still wore. "Does Chuunin Midori need a supervisor to hold her hand to do everything?" he teased.

"Nice one Obito," she called back to him with a sweet smile, "I'm afraid that's going to cost you a lot!" She lunged at him and almost got him if he hadn't have sped up quickly, and that started a chase back to the village. Kakashi sighed, watching them through half eyes and increased his pace to keep up with their speedy arguments. Despite the four years that had gone by, that was one thing that hadn't changed.

When they got to one of the main gates, Midori and Obito charged through, still occupied with their chase, but Kakashi stopped on one the last branches and looked at the village from the outside. Through years of war, Konoha wasn't in a state that one would call splendid. There had been numerous battles sometimes right up against the walls of the village, and those scars weren't yet healed. It was true that the stage in this war was far better than before, when Kakashi had still been very young, but it didn't make a difference to the fact that there was still war going on. The hospital was constantly busy with wounded ninjas, but unlike before, one of the legendary Sannin, Tsunade wasn't there. Kakashihad nevermet her personally, and had only heard stories about her, but her sudden disappearance years ago seemed to have affected the village greatly.

"Kakashi!" Obito called from the gates, "What's wrong? Come down!"

This stirred Kakashi from his musing and he silently leapt down from the tree and rejoined his two team mates, who seemed to have gotten over their hunt. He followed the two down the main streets, which weren't as crowded as it usually would have been during peaceful times. The constant battles had taken its toll on the people and there weren't people who stood outside and talked merrily to neighbours. Midori and Obito had both made it to the Chunnin level, and now all three of them wore the dark green vest that showed their status. They didn't, however, wear the navy outfit under the vest, but kept to their own clothing styles. Ever since they had passed the Chuunin exam, Kazuma had spent less and less time with them. It was true that he was a very powerful ninja and the village needed his help in the time of war, but Kakashi suspected something else as well. Officially, he was still their teacher, and he did spend time with them once a in a while to train them, or go with them on a high C rank, or B rank mission. But other than that, they were often alone. A number of times, the three of them had been involved with the heavy battles close to the village, and though they weren't unscathed, they had managed to live through it.

"Kazuma-sensei!" Midori shouted as they neared the center of the village, close to where the rock sculptors were of the three Hokages. This brought Kakashi's attention back to the present again and he looked up to see their teacher and another man standing on the round rooftop just below the sculptors. Their teacher noticed them and waved, then indicated that they could come up if they wanted to.

"We need to hand in the reports, Midori," Obito reminded, but she was already leaping up to the roof.

"We'll do that in a moment," she called back, "It's just a quick hello."

Kakashi and Obito shrugged and followed their team mate. Obito and Midori landed on either side of Kazuma, and Kakashi sat down on the rail in line with his teacher and the other two. One leg was hanging down, and the other was propped up on the rail. His eyes went over to the other man, who he guessed was at least two decades older. His white hair seemed awfully spiky, and he idly wondered whether the two lines that trailed down from his eyes were tattoos, paint, or queer birthmarks. The other man's eyes flicked over from one to the other while Kazuma introduced them.

"Jiraiya-sensei, this is my team, Midori, Obito and Kakashi," he said, then glancing at each of his students, he continued, "This is my former teacher, Jiraiya-sensei." Obito and Midori bowed their heads.

_Jiraiya_ Kakashi thought, still staring at the white haired man through is usual laid back expression. _So he's one of the Sannin._

_Tsunade-sama__ at least_ looks _like_ _she's one of the Sannin…_Midori mused, though she didn't let the doubt come to her expression.

_Still, it's said that he's a great ninja_. Obito concluded.

Jiraiya grinned at the three young shinobi, then looked up at Kazuma, "I've heard all the stories about your team," he said, his eyes drifting down to where Kakashi sat and his grin widened. "Especially about the prodigy," he added in a slightly quieter voice. Kakashi didn't look away when the gaze was directed towards him, and didn't show any reactions. It wasn't anything he bragged about anyways.

"Jiraiya-sama," Midori said, and that got his attention off Kakashi. "Have they been able to find Tsunade-sama?"

Jiraiya sighed and shook his head. "There's only a certain amount of people we can spare right now to go look for her," he replied. Midori nodded.

"We have to go hand in the mission reports," Obito said when a sudden silence came on the five, and it seemed obvious that Jiraiya had something he wanted to talk to only Kazuma about.

"We'll see you around, sensei," Midori added, and the three of them left and went to give in the reports. Jiraiya and Kazuma watched them go, and the older of the two grinned again.

"Quite a clever group, Kazuma," Jiraiya commented. "And strong, if the Third thinks they can handle missions alone at this time."

"Hai," Kazuma replied, "They have grown well."

Nothing had really changed amongst them, which Kazuma was relieved for. They had certainly grown over the past few years, but Midori was still the aggressive tomb-boy, and Obito still had fun getting under her skin. Kakashi was also still the laid back, silent boy. Still, it was expected that the war would affect them. Even if there hadn't been a war going on, simply being a shinobi and carrying the responsibility had already changed the three children. The language and vocabulary they used, their characters and actions, and maturity. They were all at the level of at least a teenager or older. Especially Kakashi, whose parents had been killed when he had already started forming memories. If one would compare a normal child to a shinobi child, there would be such a surprising difference. And to add a war into that…Kazuma just hoped they wouldn't lose their brightness.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Midori stretched out her arms as the three of them walked out of the building after reporting in. "Well, we don't have a mission until tomorrow," she said. "What do you want to do?"

Kakashi shrugged and Obito said that he didn't really care.

"Then let's practice techniques," she suggested.

"You don't really mean techniques in general, do you, Midori," Obito pointed out as they walked down the streets. "You mean the Goukakyuu that you still haven't gotten down after four years."

A vein popped dangerously on her temple and the back of her fist, which slammed down on his head.

"Ow!" Obito groaned, stumbling a little before he regained his balance and rubbed his painful head. "By the time we grow up, I'll have a novel sized book marking how many times you've hit me," he complained.

"Serves you right for your constant, _unnecessary_ comments," she shot back at him.

"Hai, hai."

"And when I mentioned techniques, I did _not_ mean just the Goukakyuu," she added. This got the two boys to glance at her with questioning looks. "I don't sit around all day and do nothing when we aren't on missions, you know," she continued irritably when Obito gave her an oh-I-thought-you-did look. She cleared her throat and pulled out a piece of paper where she had scribbled various techniques and a few notes about each of them.

"Hmm." Obito took the piece of paper and read through the various jutsus. "I don't know most of these, but I suppose Kakashi would know all of them by now," he said.

"What?" Midori nearly shouted. Obito handed the paper to his friend and Kakashi scanned through the list.

"No," he replied, and Midori sighed with relief. "There are two I don't know here."

"Which ones?" Obito asked.

"_Doton__ Shinjyuu-zanshu_ _no jutsu_ and _Suiton__ Suijinheki_," he replied. They reached the training field within a few minutes, but they found a few people already there. One boy in particular caught Kakashi's attention and his memory went back four years. As soon as they came into sight, the other four stopped what they were doing and turned to face the three Chuunin. Kakashi knew the one boy and recognised the teacher as Kudou Akira, but didn't know him personally. Still, his gaze lingered on the black haired, thick eye browed boy. Seeing the forehead protector on him, he assumed he had finally gotten out of the Academy.

"Sorry, we didn't mean to disturb your training," Midori said quickly, when the three Genins simply stared at them. Before they could move out of the way however, the thick eye browed boy crept towards them, and stopped only when his nose was practically touching Kakashi's clothes.

"Gai?" Akira called, a little confused at his student's sudden behaviour. The boy, called Gai apparently, slowly raised a finger and brushed it against the green vest. Kakashi was taken aback by his actions and simply stared at him with a raised eyebrow. Midori jumped when Gai suddenly screamed.

"Sensei!" he shouted, bounding back to his teacher and pointing at the three, "Those _are_ Chuunin vests, aren't they!"

"Yes, what about them?"

"But they're our age!"

"Yes, they are."

"That's not possible!"

"Yes, it is possible."

Akira sighed and shook his head before looking up at the confused Chuunins. He smiled as he went over each one of them. "You must be from Kazuma's team, correct?" he asked. They nodded. "No wonder," he added quietly to himself. The three of them walked closer so they wouldn't have to shout across to be heard. "Sorry for Gai's outburst – " Akira started, but Gai leapt up and stood between his team and the other three.

"When did you become a Chuunin!" he burst out.

"Two years ago," Obito and Midori replied. Kakashi didn't say anything and simply stood with his hands in his pockets and watched the strange boy. Until Gai's gaze fell on him.

"You as well?" he asked. Kakashi shook his head slightly. "When? A year ago? Half a year ago?"

Kakashi shrugged, wanting to plug his ears against the loud voice. "A while," was all he said.

"Gai," Akira said, putting a hand on his students shoulder and bending his head down a little to be at the boy's level. "Four years ago."

Gai's body seemed to turn into stone, and the other two students were also shocked to hear this. A moment passed in silence before Gai seemed to stir from his bewilderment.

"You!" he shouted the next second, jumping up and pointing a finger at Kakashi, who stared back at his fire filled eyes with a blank expression. "What is your name?"

"Hatake Kakashi."

"Hatake Kakashi, you are this Maito Gai's Eternal Rival!" After the serious declaration, Gai gave him a thumbs-up and flashy smile, and Kakashi wished he had sun glasses to ward off the glare of the sun that reflected off his teeth. A few moments passed and the autumn breeze whipped by, a fallen leaf making a small loop and then flying away. Midori's left eye was twitching a little, Kakashi hadn't changed his expression, and Obito had his eyebrow raised, curious.

"Gai…that was random," one of his team mates breathed hopelessly.

"And stupid," the other one added. "Haven't you heard of Kakashi? He's a genius."

Akira sighed. "Sorry about that," he said. "We didn't mean to take up your time."

"No, no, we're sorry as well for disturbing you," Midori replied.

The three Chuunins took this as a time to leave and starting walking away to find an empty area to work in.But no sooner had they walked severalmetreswhen they heard a sudden shout from behind, and they turned around to see Gai sprinting full speed at them with a shuriken in his hand.

"Kakashi! Fight me!" he shouted.

"Looks like you got yourself a nice rival, Kakashi," Obito said with an amused grin. Midori chuckled. Kakashi sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, wondering how he got into such a mess. Gai's team mates called him back in alarm, and their teacher simply slapped a hand against his face and shook his head.

Gai stopped dead in his tracks when he no longer saw Kakashi with his team and felt the shuriken taken from his hand at the same time.

"A shuriken is thrown not run with," Kakashi said, standing with his left side facing Gai's back, the shuriken at the bottom of his index finger. "Unless you still throw it almost vertically upwards instead of straight ahead at the posts."

Gai's eyes widened. Kakashi walked around him and placed the shuriken on Gai's head, where it remained balanced, until he straightened and caught it as it fell forward. Kakashi didn't turn around and when he rejoined his team, they continued to walk towards the trees, and after a while, disappeared intothe shadows.

"Hatake Kakashi, huh?" Gai mumbled.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"What was all that about with throwing the shuriken upwards?" Obito asked as they walked through the pathless forest. Kakashi shrugged.

"Saw him four years ago practicing with the shuriken with the Academy," he explained. "And his shuriken went right at me."

Midori chuckled at this. "Only someone with real talent can do things like that," she said.

"Cough, cough, Nakamura, cough, Midori, cough," Obito teased.

"Shut up."

"You can't deny it though," Obito said with a grin, "I haven't forgotten our first practice."

"O-bi-to…"

"Hai, hai," he finished, "I'll stop before I can add another strike to my future novel – _ow_!"

"That's going to be a best seller," Kakashi muttered as he watched the two go at it yet again. Still, their stupidly funny insults and acts made him smile.

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**Translations:  
**Kiri Gakure: (added a hint in that sentence) Hidden Mist (village), but I didn't add that last one in.  
Sannin: (should know this one too) The Three. (Tsunade, Jiraiya, Orochimaru)  
Doton Shinjyuu-zanshu no jutsu: I have no idea what that translates into…(humility) but it's the one that Kakashi uses on Sasuke when they're trying to get the bells at the waay beginning of the series.  
Suiton Suijinheki: no idea about this one as well…Kakashi uses it to protect himself against Itachi's attacks before Itachi uses his Mangekyou Sharingan.

**Leilani** and **HikaruOfArrow**: Thanks both of you! You know I'll update soon (winks), I'm off from school. Or, I can expand the waiting time if you like. . Sorry that this is a bit of filler, I promise it _will_ get better from now on.

Thanks for reading!  
-Fanyar-


	9. Chapter Nine

**Chapter Nine: **

"The team under Kazuma: Kakashi, Obito and Midori, right?" a Jounin asked, shuffling through some papers and scrolls on the messy desk.

"Hai," Midori replied for them. Usually, the Hokage would be there as well, but it seems he was busy at the moment. And the only reason it was a Jounin at the table, Kakashi guessed, was because he was in the middle of some healing process, judging by his bandaged body parts.

"Ah, here we go," he said, finally pulling out a piece of paper, and then unrolling a scroll. He scanned through it, then he frowned, but nevertheless spoke up, "It's a B rank mission. You are to retrieve a certain scroll from a village in the Cloud Country and bring that scroll safely to another village in the Sand Country."

"But we're at war with the Cloud Country," Obito said. "And why wouldn't they simply ask the ninjas from their country?"

Before the Jounin could reply, they heard footsteps and saw the Hokage approach them from a door on the other side of the room. "You must remember, that there are a few lords that do not like what the rest of the country is doing," the Third said, taking a seat beside the Jounin and looking at the young Chuunins. "That is why the village would be endangered by ninjas from that country."

"So they ask another country's hidden village ninjas," Midori finished. The Hokage nodded.

"Where are these two villages?" Kakashi asked. The Jounin pulled out another scroll and his face grew grave. The three stepped closer to the table to see where their destinations were.

"I see why it's a B rank mission now," Obito commented. Midori whistled quietly. The village in the Cloud country was all the way up at the North East, and the village in the Sand country was North West.

"I still don't see why you aren't giving this B rank mission to older, more experienced ninjas," Midori said. "We'd have to go right through an enemy's country, and the whole way to the Sand country is on borders, meaning there's going to be almost constant conflicts."

"There aren't any left," the Jounin said. "We expect at least ten to come back in two days at the earliest, but that's too late."

"We've already delayed this mission for a few days, and we can't anymore," the Third added. "This is worse now for you, because you will have to take the most direct routes for this mission to be completed on time."

"Is Kazuma-sensei coming with us then?" Midori asked. The Third shook his head.

"He left late last night on an emergency task. When he comes back, however, I will send him immediately to meet up with you. The lord expects you at sunset in two days. Hurry."

They nodded, and the Hokage gave them a scroll that would be the proof that they were the hired ninjas appointed with the job. Once the three had left, the Jounin glanced at the Hokage.

"Are you sure they are capable of this, Hokage-sama?" he asked.

"If they aren't who else could we ask?"

"There are still a few teachers at the Academy and Jounins with Genin teams."

"The enemy will be looking for them," the Third reminded. "They will less expect young children."

"Still, there is a limit to ten year olds."

"We must trust them."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

As Kakashi, Obito and Midori walked quickly away from the building and went through what to take and what not to. It was a procedure they had come up with before missions.

"Forehead protector?" Obito asked, then answered his own question, "No, too easy to see and be attacked instantly."

"But keep it with you. Weapons yes," Midori said, "but no pouches."

"No vests," Kakashi added.

"Minimal luggage." Midori ticked off another finger.

"Clothes colour?" Obito asked.

"Uh." Midori hesitated. They wanted to look as normal citizens as possible, but they still had to blend into the shadows. "Navy, dark grey, dark brown, somewhere along those lines?"

"Sure. That's it," Obito concluded. "At the North gate in fifteen minutes."

The three of them split up and ran to their homes. Once Kakashi was in his apartment, he pulled off the Konoha marked metal over his forehead and dropped it into a small bag. He went over to his shuriken and kunai pouch and pulled one weapon from each side. The kunai, he wrapped against his upper arm, under his sleeve with some bandages, and he slipped the shuriken into a thin area he had sliced at the bottom of his left shoe. He changed his shorts into navy ones that reached down just passed his knees. He unrolled the bandages around his lower legs and stored them into the bag as well. He took off his vest and left it on the bed. He went around the small apartment collecting a few other items, some food and a bottle of water included.

Looking around and going over a mental check, Kakashi picked up the scroll that the Third had given them and put that in a safe place. Then he left the apartment, and headed towards the North gates. After a while, he heard someone running from behind and he glanced back to see Obito catching up. His friend was wearing dark grey trousers, the hems just short of his ankles, and a black t-shirt. He still couldn't get rid of his goggles. He also wore a grey cap backwards, which made him look like a normal kid more than anything.

The two of them jogged towards the gates, and just as he turned a corner, they ran into Midori. She smiled as she fell in beside Kakashi. She wore brown shorts that ended above her knees, and a black and brown shirt.

"Disguise party mission?" the guards teased as they passed through the gates. "You just came back in yesterday."

"We're doing this because you're busy standing there all day!" Midori replied with a grin.

"We better thank you when you come back then!" They laughed well naturedly.

"Hey, Hatake!" they called after a pause, when they were already walking away. Kakashi glanced back over his shoulder to see what they had to say now. "If you really need to disguise yourself, take that mask off!"

Obito and Midori laughed, as did the other guards. Kakashi rolled his eyes and simply waved his hand at them.

"Good luck!" they called as the three leapt up into the trees.

The three Chunnins sped up once they were up in the trees, not wanting to risk being caught by other ninjas if they were lurking anywhere nearby. There was no such luck. Fifteen minutes hadn't passed by when they heard, or felt disturbances in the air close to them.

"Should we stop and hide?" Midori asked quietly as their pace slowed for a moment.

"No, we can't lose time," Obito replied, and they hurried along again.

"Wait!" Kakashi suddenly said sharply, stopping, which caused the other two to nearly crash into him, but they managed to stop silently. Just ahead of them, they suddenly heard clashing metal and sounds of a fight. As silently as possible, they crept forward and through the yellow and orange leaves, they could see a few Konoha ninjas against a group of mixed enemies.

"Shouldn't we help them?" Midori mouthed. "They're outnumbered."

Kakashi shook his head. "Orochimaru-sama is with them. They should be fine." As silently as they got there, the trio backed away and took a route around the fighting area. They continued to travel at a fast pace, and the skies darkened quickly as they made their way through the vast forest.

"It's going to rain soon," Obito commented the obvious.

"And the morning had promised a nice autumn day," Midori grumbled. It started to rain, as expected a little while later, and the surroundings instantly turned into a monochrome. At first, it came down as a light drizzle, which wasn't bad, but after a few hours, it grew far worse.

The three of them were thoroughly drenched as they kept going in the pelting rain. The branches became more slippery, and they nearly lost their footing more than once. Midori looked up once in a while to check on the time, and when night had fallen, she came up beside Obito and Kakashi.

"It's after sunset," she told them. "Should we keep going?"

Kakashi nodded once.

"We'll travel through the night, and at dawn we'll find a place where we can rest for a while," Obito said.

Luckily, the rain began to subside near midnight, and during the morning hours, they could glimpse the sky through breaks in the clouds. Their movements kept them warm, but they could tell it was cold. They could sometimes see that the air they breathed out were foggy and white. Their main problem though, was to dry their wet clothes. Even though they were constantly moving for the next couple of hours, the clothes still felt damp and cold against their skins.

Suddenly the trees began to thin and they were forced to drop down from their high branches. It wasn't long after that they started to see the sea in the dim light.

"At least we know we're going the right way," Obito said.

"It also means we're out of the Fire country," Midori pointed out. "And nearing the thinnest area of land, which is the beginning of the Cloud country."

Kakashi glanced uneasily around them, unable to shake off the feeling that they were being watched. Then he suddenly jerked his head to the left and without thinking, he grabbed Midori and Obito, and dove into the bushes. Barely had they touched the bushes, when a kunai struck the ground where Midori had stood. They landed with a thud and Midori and Obito didn't need to ask why he had done that. Without a word, they scrambled to their feet and started to run in the opposite direction as the other ninjas. Kakashi glanced back once, and carelessly tripped over something lying at the foot of another bush.

"Kakashi!" Obito whispered, and they doubled back to see what had happened. Kakashi pushed himself up and looked back to see what he had tripped over that he hadn't seen. Parting the bush a little, they were shocked to see the corpse of a Cloud ninja. Midori lifted a hand to her mouth, disgusted at the horrible expression etched across the ninja's face.

"We have to keep going," Kakashi whispered desperately, and Midori forced herself to run with her team mates. Still, they had hardly run a dozen strides when a group of shadowed people appeared encircling them. Obito cursed softly under his breath as the three of them put their backs to each other and faced the people, obviously shinobi. There still wasn't enough light to make out who they were.

"Hatake?"

Kakashi turned a little to face the person who had spoken. He squinted and the person stepped forward. "ANBU," Kakashi muttered in surprise.

"They're from the village," the same person said, and the other figures relaxed and stepped out as well. The person pulled up the animal faced mask and revealed a man in his early twenties. Then Kakashi recognised him.

"You were the Chuunin examiner," he said.

"At least remember my name, Hatake," he replied with a small grin.

"Shiranui Renji," Kakashi muttered.

"What are you three doing so far from Konoha?" Renji asked.

"A mission," Midori replied.

"And six ANBU members?" Obito asked in turn.

"Same," Renji answered.

"Were you the ones who threw the kunai?" Kakashi asked.

"What kunai?" Renji asked with a slight frown.

"Renji," said another ANBU sharply. Renji immediately became alert and the three young Chuunin didn't need to be told to do anything. They instantly hid amongst the bushes, though it was hard when there weren't many. Kakashi and Obito peered around the leaves to see what was happening, but something else caught Midori's attention.

"They're behind us!" she shouted, pushing Obito right through the bush in front of her, and Kakashi rolled to the side to avoid another couple of shuriken and kunai. Obito started to pull out his own kunai, but Kakashi held his wrist to stop him.

"Leave this to them," he muttered, nodding to the ANBU who were already moving towards the enemy. Renji turned around, and gestured for them to run before pulling down his mask and joining the others.

Midori, Obito and Kakashi sprinted in the opposite direction, and quickly made it clear of the bushes and trees, but they found themselves about fifty meters away from the edge of a very high cliff. How had the sea looked so close?

"They're coming," Kakashi muttered and the two up front turned around to see two Cloud ninjas coming down at them. Obito and Kakashi leapt to the right, Midori to the left. The two boys simply dodged all the attacks at the last moments.. Midori turned and faced the other ninja with a fierce look in her eyes. She went through a few hand seals, and her opponent stepped back with caution.

"_Katon Goukakyuu no jutsu_!" Midori yelled, her chest expanding. The wide eyed ninja dove out of the way of the fire…that was as big as a match flame.

"Midori!" Obito shouted in dismay as he ran towards their team mate and grabbing her around the waist, leapt away from the bewildered shinobi. "This isn't the time to pretend like you're a ninja!"

"Shut up Obito! Grandpa taught that to me and I'm going to be a great ninja like he – Obito!" Obito cursed loudly. The two of them cried out in alarm as they lost they balance at the edge of the cliff and the ground gave way to their weight. They tumbled down.

"Obito! Midori!" Kakashi shouted, reaching down for them, but he fell headfirst down as well, unable to keep his balance against their combined weight. The three of them fell together, and the two ninjas smirked, moving to the edge and seeing three splashes in the water way below.

"They won't survive the rocks," they said and turned away.

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**ArrowOfHikaru:** Thanks.

**Leilani:** Thankies, and yes, updates came quick.

Fanyar-


	10. Chapter Ten

**Chapter Ten:**

****

"I still don't see what the act was for," Midori grumbled. "There were only two of them, why bother?"

"Because if they survived by any chance, it would be possible that they'd inform their superiors about us," Obito replied.

"At least it worked and we found the cave," Kakashi added, peering over the edge and seeing the three splashes that his _Kage__ Bunshin_ had caused.

The three of them were in a small, luckily dry cave that they had found about halfway down the cliff. The discovery of it had been by chance. Their original, improvised plan was fall after hinting that they were normal children, influenced only a little by ninjas. Kakashi would create three replicas and have them fall down, and meanwhile, they would stick to the cliff wall and cover themselves up.

Midori shrugged and sat down, resting her exhausted legs and leaning back against the wall. Kakashi and Obito also slid down the walls and rested. Just in case anyone happened to see them, they combined their strengths into making a small Genjutsu that would have people not see the cave. Though it was unlikely that anyone would see them, since they were facing east to the sea. Almost instantly, all three of them were dozing off, glad to have a bit of rest after the long run.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Kakashi woke up to feel the sun warm on his body. He lifted his head a little and looked up at the sun. Sometime around midmorning he guessed. He got up from his position and stretched out his sore muscles. It wasn't every day that they travelled for nearly 20 hours without a proper break. He stepped over to where the bags were placed and took out a piece of bread from his. Returning to his place by the opening, he pulled out his mask and ate his small breakfast. When he was finished, he pulled the mask back up and got to his feet. He bent down to shake Midori awake, then nudged Obito as well.

"I'll just go see how things are up there," Kakashi said over his shoulder as Obito yawned and stretched. He simply waved his hand. Midori had curled back up to sleep again.

Kakashi cautiously peered above and when he didn't see anything movement, he gathered some chakra to his hands and feet and started to quickly climb the cliff. When he didn't feel anyone close by, he slowly looked over the edge and saw quite a lot of bodies. Kakashi heaved himself up and looked around. They were all Clouds ninjas. There was no sign of the ANBU anymore and Kakashi didn't dare stay out in the open for long. Quickly he jumped back down the cliff and dropped into the cave.

"How was it?" Obito asked, finishing his small meal. Midori, who still looked very much asleep, was staring at the floor, the bread in her mouth.

"Ugly," Kakashi said honestly. "Seems like the ANBU killed at least most of the Cloud ninjas, but they aren't here anymore. Question is, how do we go on from here?"

"Risk going through enemy terrains that we don't know," Obito said, listing the choices, "or attempt to go along the sea."

"Or go back to sleep," Midori mumbled. Obito rolled his eyes, picked up a small pebble and threw it at her head.

"We have a mission to accomplish, Miss Nakamura Midori," Obito said in a much exaggerated tone. When she didn't respond clearly, he picked up a slight bigger stone and threw it with a bit more force.

"Ow! Okay, okay, I was joking!" Midori grumbled as she sat up and stretched, then proceeded to actually eat the bread. "The sea would probably be the better choice," she added.

"If we run on the water for the next day or so it's going to really drain us though," Obito pointed out. "Plus, it's not like there's a cave every time we need to stop."

"I'd say that's still better than going across foreign land," Midori replied.

"True."

"There's bound to be some beaches along the way," Kakashi said. Obito nodded.

"There's just one other problem," Midori said quickly, swallowing the last of the meal and getting up. "The waves. If we run too close to the rocks, the water turns into big waves. Then again, we can't run so far from the rocks in case someone sees us."

Obito sighed, also getting up and brushing the dirt form his trousers. "I suppose we'll be much fitter after this mission," he said at last, with a hopeless grin.

"We'd better get a nice break after we get back to Konoha," Midori added, tossing each bag to its owner and slinging her own over her shoulders. The three of them checked once that no one was looking from above before dropping down the rest of the way to the water. Without wasting any time, they began to run again, a couple of meters away from the rocks where the waves weren't the worst at least, and still hard to detect from above. The day was warm again, and the cool water splashing against their legs made the temperature just right.

They travelled until sunset, occasionally taking a very short break when they found a small ledge to rest on, or a beach, or anywhere where they wouldn't have to use their chakra to stand. The sun left them quicker, due to the cliffs, but when the thin clouds stopped glowing deep red, the three of them found a stone beach under an overhang and decided to take that as a stopping area. To make things better, Kakashi, who had sometimes been climbing up the cliffs and checking the landscape, had seen a small village close to the beach.

"I suppose this'll be a good time to ask how far we still have to go," Midori said as they put down their bags and dropped to the ground.

"Yeah," Obito said, and Kakashi nodded in agreement.

"What?" Midori asked with a frown when the two boys simply stared at her. "Am _I_ the one who has to climb up and ask?"

"You're the most normal looking in the group," Obito pointed out with a wry grin. "Here, I'll even lend you my cap if you want." He took it off and held it out to her. Midori gave them an unpleasant look before taking the cap and securing it on her head. She got up and jumped to grab the edge of the overhang, pulled herself over it, and disappeared.

"She wasn't too happy about that," Kakashi noted.

"Well, it's true that she looks the most normal." Obito fell back onto the floor, his hands cradling his head, and he shifted a little to get comfortable. He yawned rubbed his eyes. "We have about another 24 hours."

"So depending on how far we are, we can have a bit more rest," Kakashi finished for him.

"Bingo," Obito said and yawned yet again. Kakashi sat down beside his friend and stared at the darkening sea. He hoped they didn't have to carry on that night. The last long trek had been bad, but constantly running on water was even worse. Not to mentioned he had used more chakra than the other two for climbing up the cliffs. In a way, sending Midori to the village was a way of revenge. A sour, exasperated look came into his eyes as he remembered the incident, about an hour since they had started their journey that day.

(Flashback)

"We should keep a check of how the landscape is up above," Obito mentioned, glancing up at the high cliffs. The heights hadn't changed since they had left the cave. "We could take turns to climb – "

"That's not a problem," Midori cut in, "Kakashi will do that for us."

"Why me?" Kakashi mumbled.

"Simple," Midori said a grin Kakashi didn't particularly like, "Because you have the most chakra out of the three of us."

"I still don't see why we don't take turns?" he replied.

"Simple again. Obito and I use enough chakra just running over the water all day."

"We don't need to climb so many times; it won't really affect either of you."

"Kakashi," Midori said with a very sweet and therefore dangerous smile. Obito cringed when he saw the expression, glad he wasn't in Kakashi's position. Midori moved closer to Kakashi. "You aren't trying to argue with me, are you?"

"Well, argue wouldn't be the right word, but I'm still – " Kakashi began, attempting to see how far he could push. It wasn't a grand idea.

"Just get your sorry masked face up that cliff!" Midori all but screamed, grabbing Kakashi by his collar and throwing up towards the rocks. Obito grimaced and forced a smile, waving his hand to his poor friend. Kakashi twisted his face a little, his eyes becoming half moons, clearly showing his slight annoyance.

"Move it!" Midori shouted from below, swinging her arm, and Kakashi quickly sprang up the rocks to avoid her kamaitachi as it etched a deep line across the cliff.

"If she has so much energy, I don't see why _she_ can't do the job, that tomb-boy," he grumbled almost silently, not wanting to endanger his life again.

(End Flashback)

"Kakashi! Obito!"

The two looked up as Midori jumped down from the overhang and joined them.

"How was it?" Obito asked, pushing himself upright.

"Good news," she replied with a grin, "The villagers said that it takes about two runners to get to the place."

"Two runners, huh," Obito repeated, his face thoughtful. "Meaning it takes about half a day." He smiled now. "At least we can rest properly then. This looks like a place no one comes to, so it's better than trying to find somewhere when we get closer."

Midori cheered, and within a few minutes, she had curled up and was fast asleep. Obito laughed and lay back down, closing his eyes and Kakashi could tell he dozed off quite quickly. Kakashi got to his feet, ignoring the slight numbness he felt in his legs and went to the edge of the shelter. Seeing that there was a certain line where mosses grew, he guessed that was how high the tide would get. Where Obito and Midori were sleeping was a good way behind the line. He took a light jump and climbed onto the overhanging rock, then looked up. It seemed like a good, long, vertical climb to reach the top of the cliff, and there weren't any other routes leading down. Seeing and feeling nothing strange, Kakashi finally dropped back down and joined his team mates on the floor.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Obito woke up and immediately felt the bumpy stones pressing uncomfortably into his back. With a silent yawn he sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. The sun was just about to rise. As he expected, Midori was still fast asleep, but when he looked around, Kakashi wasn't there. He quickly got to his feet, and looked all around the small beach, then ran to the edge of the water.

"Kakashi?" he called, softly at first, then raised his voice, "Kakashi?!"

"Yeah?"

Obito spun around and saw Kakashi sitting on the edge of the overhang; one leg was propped up, the other hanging down. Obito sighed and while the rising panic subsided, he joined his friend.

"Early as usual, is it?" he muttered. "I should have known better."

"What? Because you were snoring so loud, you thought you hadn't have heard me being kidnapped?" Kakashi replied. Obito was surprised to hear such a remark come from him. And so quickly. He laughed.

"If you keep that up, Kakashi, I'm afraid of how you'll turn out to be when you're older," he said. Kakashi gave Obito the half eyed annoyed look, a bit of colour rising to his cheeks. Luckily the mask was there to keep it well hidden.

"If your going to go up there, at least take your stuff with you," Midori shouted from below, carrying all three bags. She tossed them all up to the two boys, who caught them and placed them to the side. Then Midori climbed up and sat beside them. Obito was speechless and wide eyed. Even Kakashi was looking at her strangely.

"What now?" she asked, uneasy with them staring at her like that.

"Midori's awake before we hammer the sleep out of her…" Obito whispered in a voice people used when they state something very frightful and dangerous like in horror stories. "It's going to rain, no hail. No, the heaven's going to drop down on us! We're all doomed to – "

"Shut up." Midori's fist was comfortably embedded in Obito face. A couple of veins throbbed on her temples and judging from the way she still twitched once in a while, she was still holding back some of her anger…Some…

With a muffled groan, Obito fell back holding his red face, especially where the goggles had sunk into his sink. A long line of half mild curses, half painful sounds poured from his mouth.

"Sorry Obito, can't hear what your saying," Midori said, cupping her hand around her ear.

"You didn't have to fit me so hard!"

"It's your fault for always saying stupid comments! I do wake up early when I'm given at least six hours to sleep!"

Their argument went on for a few minutes, and while the two ate something. As usual, Kakashi had already finished eating by the time Obito had joined him. With the air still a little electric between the two, the three of them started their trip once again.

Nothing incredible or devastating happened during while they ran over the water. There were a few beaches now, or a line of big rocks, and they would gladly run on the stable grounds. The high cliffs also began to become lower. It was very gradual that they hardly noticed at first, but Kakashi felt the difference as he was still running up once in a while to check the environment above. As noon passed, Midori started to visit villages to see how much further they needed to go. It wasn't long, they figured, and indeed, by afternoon, they left the sea and continued on the land above.

The terrain above was nice, but not great for hiding. There were many hills, but it was all grass fields with stones frequently sticking out of the surface of the green carpet. Trees were very rare. Maybe one or two may be standing close by, but nothing more. There seemed to be a constant breeze, and so the people of the country used windmills to collect power and create electricity. It was a very beautiful place, one could say, and everything looked very peaceful.

Kakashi, Midori and Obito stayed relatively low behind the biggest row of stones they could find, which wasn't very big. About a hundred meters away was the beginning of the village they had to go to. Uemura was the name, as they had figured out on their way.

"It doesn't seem awfully big from here," Midori said. "Is there really meant to be an important lord?"

"There must be," Obito replied. "We'll find out more when we get there."

"Should we look around the village before settling down somewhere until sunset?" Kakashi asked.

"That would be the best idea, it's just – " Obito suddenly cut off as they heard someone speak from behind them.

"Hey you three, what are you doing?" The three spun around and saw two people walking over to them through the grass. _This isn't great…_Kakashi thought bitterly, though they all kept straight faces.

Ninjas from Kumo Gakure no Sato.

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**Translations:  
**Uemura – village located quite high (north)**  
**Kumo Gakure no Sato – Hidden Cloud village****

**Leilani** & **ArrowOfHikaru**: Itsumo arigatou! (Japanese lessons here. Lol)

-Fanyar-


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Chapter Eleven:**

"Hey you three, what are you doing?" Two Cloud ninjas made their way through the grass.

"Pretending to be ninjas!" Midori replied after a reasonable pause. She grinned childishly. "Are you two real ninjas?" Her eyes brightened happily. A little surprised at her enthusiasm, the two nodded. One of them was fairly young, barely out of his teens, and Midori seemed to have a sudden affect on him. His eyes widened a little in disbelief, but he quickly covered the look. The other one wasn't much older, but clearly the senior of the two. The latter smiled and bent down to their heights.

"You shouldn't be wandering on your own, your parents' are going to get worried," he said kindly. Midori shook her head.

"We're going to visit our relatives, who live in that village over there." She pointed at Uemura.

"Papa said it would be too dangerous to become ninjas," Obito said. "Is that true?" The younger of the two bent down now as well and nodded, placing a hand on Midori's head.

"Being a ninjas is dangerous," he said, his eyes switching from one to the other, but lingered on the girl, "Don't become ninjas. You'll be much happier that way."

"Aren't you happy?" Kakashi asked after Obito very stealthily poked him. The young shinobi simply kept smiling, a sad and deep smile.

"Now go along," the older one said, nudging them away.

"Hai!" Midori said as they went around the stone and headed for the village. She turned around and waved. "Bye-bye, ninja-san!"

The two got to their feet.

"What's wrong with you?" the older asked.

"Sorry," he replied, staring after Midori, "She was similar to my dead little sister."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Obito sighed with relief when they were sure the two were out of earshot. "I was worried for a second," he mumbled.

"It went well though, didn't it?" Midori asked.

"Lucky they were so soft to children," Obito replied.

"Let's get into the village before they come as well," Kakashi said. The other two glanced quickly over their shoulders and saw that indeed, the two were starting to head in the same direction. They hurried.

The streets of the village were unexpectedly quite full of activity. One would have reckoned that because they were at odds with the rest of the country, the people would be in fear and hiding from possible attacks. They soon realised that part of the reason was because of a festival.

Children wearing masks ran from shop to shop, their parents vainly trying to keep them under control. Young people walked together, chatting and laughing, and people behind the stalls were busy getting customers and serving them. The streets were, therefore, narrow and quite full of people, and no one paid much notice to Obito, Midori and Kakashi.

"We still have a few hours until sunset," Midori muttered quietly to the two, "Let's use the festival to have a look around the village."

The two boys nodded, and they broke up, each going separate directions. Kakashi had barely walked around for a few minutes, when Midori came to his side and gave him a mask she had obviously bought at one of the shops. He didn't need to be told why he should wear it. He slipped it on, and Midori quickly left to find Obito. Since the two ninjas had seen their faces, it would be a little complicated if they found one of them.

As the day slowly came to an end, the people began to head home, and the stalls began to shut down, one by one. It seemed that the festival would continue for another few days. Kakashi walked on down a street, until he came close to the lord's house. It didn't really stand out, and he had had a little trouble locating it at first. There were cement walls surrounding the household, which wasn't very big at all. As Kakashi had glimpsed from one of the roofs, there was one main house, a storage house, a fairly tended garden with a few small trees, and a pond.

Kakashi was soon joined by Obito and Midori, and as the sun set in the west, they got up from where they had been squatting and pretending to play a game on the dirt road. They took off their masks, slipping them into their bags and quickly made their way to the door. Obito knocked once. They were surprised not to see a guard open the door, but an aged man. He smiled and beckoned them in before closing the door and walking down the stone paved path leading to the main house entrance. The tree followed without saying anything. Once the man had closed the entrance door, he sat down on the slightly raised floor of the house and patted the tatami floor beside him, indicating that they should sit down as well.

A little confused, they obliged. The man continued to smile.

"Are you the ninjas that I asked to fulfil my wish?" he finally asked. His voice was soft and kind, but he talked relatively slow and had the tone that all old people had.

"Hai," Midori replied. Kakashi took out the scroll that the Hokage had given them and handed that over to the man. He opened it and read it over then started to nod slowly, but constantly. He still smiled.

"I see," he said, "Thank you for making the long journey, and I'm sorry I cannot offer you more comfort now. It is simply because you must immediately be on your way, I'm afraid." His face lost the smile, and his expression saddened a little as he gazed at the three. "It pains me to have to see so young children do such a tiring job. If this is truly the way of the ninja, then it is a cruel way."

He pulled out a scroll and handed it to Kakashi. "This is the scroll that I want you to deliver," he said. "I am indeed, very sorry that you cannot rest for the night. Please forgive me. But you must get that scroll there as quickly as possible, best within the next four days."

"We will," Obito assured as they rose. They bowed politely, opened the door and went through, but Obito paused at the doorway and turned back. "We chose the path of our lives out of free will," he said with a smile, "We're all prepared for the consequences." Without waiting for a response, he turned and the three of them disappeared.

They used the cover of dusk to slip quickly and quietly out of the village. This time, instead of heading back to the east side of the country, they headed west. There were more risks now, but for the moment, the darkness hid them well enough, and their stealth skills weren't the worst. After having to run on water, the soft, solid ground was wonderfully easy to run on. They decided to risk cutting diagonally down so they could save time and energy. Keeping a steady pace, they travelled until dawn without any incidents or encounters with anyone. As the sun began to climb into the sky, they slowed down and searched for a place they could rest for a few hours.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The next few days were mostly eventless as Kakashi, Obito and Midori journeyed to the Sand Country. Once in a while, they nearly ran into raging battles, but they stopped quickly enough and took a detour well around the fighting. That did slow them down a little, but it was much better than trying to run through it. The weather was usually cool and cloudy, but the rain held off, and they found it easy to travel in. For a day or so, they felt comfortable travelling near the Fire Country, but as they left it, they could definitely begin to feel the air become dryer and dustier. Quite quickly, they found themselves running over sand paths with the wind blowing small grains of sand into their faces. Midori mentioned more than once how she hated the environment.

On the evening of the fourth day, the three finally made it to the destination, wheezing and the muscles in their legs were trembling from exhaustion. For a few minutes, they collapsed against a wall and simply tried to get their pulses back into control. The last day had been a horrible sprint as they each feared they wouldn't make it in time. The town was like nothing they had seen before. The houses were made out of clay or some material along those lines. The structures of the houses were much different from the ones they knew, and everything seemed so closed in.

"Let's go," Kakashi finally said, and the other two simply nodded and pushed themselves up from the floor. While they were running or moving, it was fine, but when they stopped, they could feel the exhaustion very intensely. They avoided the main streets and decided to quickly leap across the roofs. It wasn't very hard to find the largest, well faring household. They were greeted my a maid and she led them quickly inside, as the wind was getting stronger, and they could all see a sand storm approaching.

At the entrance of the house, they were greeted by a man, nearly as old as the lord they had met four days ago. Kakashi could tell that Midori was on the verge of just collapsing and sleeping for at least a day and that just standing was the best she could do. Obito, though he was still better off than Midori, was still quite passed his limit. Kakashi himself was nearing the limit, but he supposed he would take care of things. He bowed respectfully.

"I have had news from Yukimura-san," the lord said with a kind expression, "You must be tired. You may rest peacefully in this house for tonight. Come in." He beckoned them down the corridor, and the surprised three took off their shoes and stepped up. The lord talked to the maids and told them to follow the maids to their room. Obito and Midori obliged without a word, too tired to object. Kakashi however, stayed behind with the lord, who looked at him.

"I simply wished to give this to you, lord," Kakashi said, answering the unasked question. He extended the scroll to the lord. He took it and smiled.

"Thank you, kind boy," he said. "I am Sanada."

"Hai, Sanada-san," Kakashi replied with a nod. "My name is Kakashi. The other boy is Obito, and the girl is Midori. Thank you very much for your hospitality."

"My, my," Sanada said with a chuckle, "Young people from the Fire Country have wonderful manners. Now, you should also rest, Kakashi. You need not fear anything tonight. Once you awaken, you may take baths and be fed."

Kakashi bowed deeply again and then walked down the hallway that the maids and his team mates had gone. He found a woman standing by a door, and when she saw him, she indicated to the room, and then left him alone. Kakashi blinked in bewilderment. Obito and Midori were already changed and sleeping very deeply. He chuckled, very softly.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Can't we stay just a bit longer?" Midori pleaded.

"No," Obito replied.

"We've been away from Konoha for long enough," Kakashi added.

Midori sighed, and then agreed. They were sitting in their room, and it was 10:30. After they had woken up, they had cleaned themselves, eaten breakfast, and Obito and Midori had been apologising for their rude behaviour the night before. Everyone in the household had laughed and waved away their apologies kindly.

Within the next fifteen minutes, the three of them had parted with the Sanada and were walking down the streets. The day was brighter and clearer, and now a few people were in the streets. They glanced warily at the three, but showed no hostile signs.

Midori glanced back at the lord's house. "They were nice people," she said, mostly to herself. Obito nodded in agreement.

"The mission's accomplished," Kakashi said, "Let's head home."

"The sooner we get there, the sooner we can sleep," Midori added with a joyful expression.

So, with light hearts, the three set off at a more leisurely pace towards Konoha.

There wasn't much trouble on their way, and they avoided going too near the borders in case of any battles.

On the morning of the second day, Kakashi woke up to find that Midori and Obito were already up. That surprised him to some extent as he sat up in their small hiding place. It wasn't much, simply a small area surrounded by big rocks. It wasn't very late, just after dawn, so Kakashi wondered why they were up so early. His answer came before he asked.

Midori noticed Kakashi waking up and turned to him with a big smile. "Happy birthday, Kakashi!" Obito laughed at his shocked eyes.

"Forgot about it again, didn't you?" he teased. Kakashi _had_ forgotten all about it.

"I still wonder how you manage to forget about it every year," Midori mused. "I'd never forget about mine."

"Well never mind that, we'll always be able to remind him," Obito said. "Eleven years old, eh, Kakashi?"

"It's not such a big deal," he muttered.

"Yes it is! Birthdays are always a big deal!" Midori said, "Pity that the day is when we're still travelling, but once we get back, we're celebrating! And don't even try and go hide like you did last year." She glared at him menacingly.

Kakashi sighed, fearing he wouldn't be able to get out of this one this year. The last time he had hidden himself outdoors, and it had led to quite a big wild goose chase, which wasn't the most pleasant thing that's ever happened.

They set off once again, and Midori continued to pester Kakashi while Obito came to tease him once in a while. Despite the dark clouds and strong winds, they were all in high spirits because by nightfall, they would be able to reach Konoha. Midori kept talking about all the things she would do (which mainly consisted of sleeping) once she reached home, and nothing Kakashi and Obito tried would shut her up. Still, they didn't mind her talking too much.

"Oh yeah, we can invite the boy, Gai," she suddenly said just during the late afternoon. They were already in the forests. Kakashi nearly tripped over a flat root and Obito just managed to stop himself from running over him.

"No!" Kakashi immediately interjected, "Anyone _but_ him."

"Why not?" Midori asked with a frown, "Just because he's – "

"Shh!" Obito suddenly hissed, and Kakashi felt it too. He grabbed Midori's wrist and leapt backwards onto a high branch in a tree. Obito landed beside him. A few seconds later, a few people emerged from the trees and passed below them. However one stopped and looked directly up at where the three were.

"Who's there?" he demanded, and hearing his voice, the others stopped and came back.

"Konoha ninja," Obito muttered, and surely enough, each of them had the forehead protector. The three jumped down and they pulled out their own metal protectors.

"We're also from Konoha," Obito said.

"I confirm that." They looked around and saw one familiar face out of the five of them.

"Akira-san," Midori said with surprise. "What are you doing here?"

They were a mix of Jounins and Chuunins, and their face grew hard and grim at the question. "There's a battle," explained the one who had called to them. He seemed to be the oldest and the leader of the group. "At the North border of the country. The Clouds and Rocks came out together. The Sand is coming now to our aid, but there's very little of us in Konoha. Are you still on your mission?"

"No, we were just heading back," Obito replied.

"Good, then come with us, we need the help."

"Fuji-san! They're just children! We can't bring them with us into battle!" another member of the group said sharply.

"We need all the forces we can get, Takeda!" Fuji replied with a growl. "I also don't want to involve children into this, but this is a war and we're losing time here. If we lose this one battle, it's going to cost us a lot." He turned to face the three. "Forgive us, but you must come."

"We are loyal to Konoha, and we will risk our lives for the sake of its people," Midori said, and the two boys nodded. Fuji grinned grimly and they headed off at a quick pace. It wasn't a long journey, as they were already close to the northern borders.

They started to hear loud noises of a big fight a while before they got to the site. On the way, they met up with other small groups of ninjas that had all been sent on this emergency task.

"Akira-san," Midori said as they neared the location. He didn't reply but glanced at her, telling her that he was listening. "Since our mission was more of a time and disguise challenge, we didn't bring any of our weapons pouches."

"They'll be plenty on the battle field," he replied gravely. "You'll have to do with that, I'm afraid. There might be fallen ninjas on our side (though I hope not), so you can take their things."

Midori nodded as they came to the last dense patch of trees. All the ninjas disappeared and went different directions to get into the battle from advantageous positions. Kakashi, Obito and Midori stopped and dropped their bags off into the bushes below and tied their forehead protectors around their heads tightly. It was a large field of grass and rocks, and there were already quite a number of shinobi from various countries, fighting each other. Elemental attacks were exploding here and there, and there was already a lot of blood and bodies.

"First go for weapons, then the fight," Obito muttered. They nodded. "And stay together."

Soon they too had disappeared and went around the edges of the fight to gather a few discarded kunais and shurikens. They met up quickly afterwards and headed into the denser parts of the battle. Most of the time, they helped the adults by getting up behind the enemy and knocking them down. As the time passed on, the grounds were upturned, fire lingered to burn the grass, and the amount of bodies increased.

_Katon__ Housenka no jutsu_. Kakashi threw out the balls of flame that shot up and surrounded a group of Cloud and Rock ninjas. Another shinobi threw in shurikens through the flame and with a few pained cries, the people went down. Kakashi turned and quickly went in the direction Obito and Midori had taken, ducking under a flying kunai, using a Kawarimi and knocking down a Cloud ninja. He looked up and with alarm, noticed a Rock ninja descending on Midori and Obito with hands full of weapons.

"Midori, Obito!" he shouted, even as he leapt into the air and threw the kunai he was holding. It struck the attacker's shoulder and he jerked around, throwing the weapons at him instead of his team mates. Kakashi landed quickly, and without thinking, threw his weight to the side to avoid being porcupined. He felt one of the weapons grazing his arm, but he had other things to worry about. A blaze of fire rushed between the two, and Kakashi took this chance to risk performing a technique he hadn't mastered 100 percent.

When the fire had died down, Kakashi was no where to be seen. _Doton__ Shinjyuu-zanshu_ _no jutsu._ His hands grabbed his foe's ankles from underground and dragged him under. Kakashi didn't bother waiting to see what happened next, but ran to Midori and Obito.

"Where are your minds gone to?!" he shouted.

"Kakashi," Midori said desperately. He jerked his head to the side and caught another flying kunai, immediately throwing it between his team mates, into the shoulder of an enemy.

"What?"

Obito pointed to his left, the same confusion in his eyes that Midori held. Kakashi followed the indicated direction with his eyes, wondering what had gotten to them all of the sudden. Then he knew, and his eyes widened. There were three children fighting, wearing the Rock forehead protectors, but it was the one on the right that held their attention.

"…Gamashi Misa-chan…" Midori muttered.

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Sorry it took a little while, but it's longer, so that's the compensation. . Yay! More reviews!!

**Leilani:** What do you mean, the early chapter? The first few chapters? Mind telling me the difference? I might be able to fix whatever you don't really like. . Thanks for the review!

**HikaruOfArrow:** Yup, I had a vague idea that both accounts belonged to you. Thanks for reviewing!

**sUmbOdi:** Thanks for reading and reviewing. Yeah, Midori the tomboy. I like her too.

**Rurikat:** Thank you too for reading and reviewing! Hehe, thanks for the compliment. I hope you'll continue to enjoy it!

Thanks everyone!  
-Fanyar-


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Chapter Twelve: **

Kakashi was the first to snap out of his shock. The battle was still ongoing around them. He shook Midori and Obito by one of their shoulders quickly.

"Obito! Midori!" he said urgently, "If you're going to stare at them, then do that from a safe place." Obito turned to face Kakashi and nodded, and Midori reluctantly looked away from the girl as well. They leapt away in different directions as the ground beneath them started to break away. Kakashi landed on the branch of a nearby tree and scanned the battle for Misa. He found her on the outer areas of the field and headed that way. He arrived at the same time as Midori did. She headed straight for Misa, but Kakashi stopped once beside a few Sand ninjas.

"We'll take care of them," he said, "Your skills are needed for the more dangerous shinobi." They didn't hesitate and leapt away immediately. The three from Misa's group started after them, but Kakashi and Midori got in their way. Obito was no where to be seen at the moment, but they didn't have the time to go look for him.

"Misa-chan," Midori said, "You're Gamashi Misa, aren't you?"

The girl hesitated. Her dark blond hair was longer than what they had seen in the photo, but they were still braided. Her eyes had lost the delightfulness that had been evident in the picture, and she stared back at Midori with a wary suspicion. Slowly, she nodded.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"Midori, but that doesn't matter. Misa-chan, have you seen your parents since you left your town?"

Misa immediately seemed to bristle. "I sacrificed that life long ago to become a shinobi. I have no intentions of returning to them."

"They're worried about you though!" Midori insisted.

"How do you, a Leaf ninja, know about my parents?" Misa demanded.

"We had a mission that involved your father, four years ago," she replied.

"Whatever. It doesn't matter to me. We're at war now, and you're going to be defeated by us if you don't run."

"Run?" Kakashi repeated. "Not when we're defending our country."

"Kakyou, Nagi, I'll take the girl," Misa said. The two other boys nodded and within the next few moments, the five of them were engaged in their separate battle.

Kakashi wondered what Obito was doing, but supposed he had his reasons for not being there. With that conclusion, he concentrated on the fight. Having it two against one, it was more difficult for him, especially when the two knew of each other's techniques and capabilities. He settled down to observing what they would do, and what they were able to do before getting to the offence. They used mostly Taijutsu and barely relied on the other fighting methods. They were quick and their attacks were quite powerful.

Kakashi leaned back to avoid a swinging kick, then pivoted of his right foot to dodge a thrust. Without looking behind, he ducked under another kick and as he rose, lifted his left arm to his face and blocked a high kick.

"Do you think you're going to defeat us by just dodging?" Kakyou asked as Kakashi leapt back and over a double attack. He landed on his hands, then quickly flipped back onto his feet.

"No," he replied.

"Good," Nagi said, "Then start attacking already."

"I might," Kakashi responded, "if you start getting serious."

He had pressed the right button. The two, apparently offended by his remark, started to approach faster and in tighter formation. Kakashi continued to defend, but started making more contact with blocking instead of simply dodging. Once he got used to their new speed and styles, he found a few openings and unguarded times and decided to end his observation. His heel caught Nagi's foot and he tripped backwards. The two took the chance and came down with two strong strikes. Kakashi saw that coming and quickly reaching down to stop his fall, he swung his whole body to the right, his legs hitting Kakyou's knees. His unbalanced moment made it easier for him to be tripped over, and Nagi stumbled over his comrade to avoid hitting him. Kakashi hadn't wasted any time and as soon as he got to his feet, he sent his knee into Nagi's chest as he fell forward, sending him back with a racking cough.

Kakashi formed certain seals. _Katon__ Goukakyuu no jutsu_. The fire scorched the ground and headed straight for the two. He hadn't thought they would be defeated so easily, and so was prepared when they lunged at him from behind. Except that they found themselves hitting a log. They ducked at Kakashi swung his foot at them, and Nagi caught his ankle. Kakashi twisted around and swung his fist at Nagi's face, which was caught as well, but at the same moment, his other foot came up to connect with his chin. Nagi stumbled backwards, letting go of Kakashi, but before he did, Kakyou struck his heel into his stomach. Kakashi fell back with a cough, landing on his feet, but spun around and grabbed Kakyou's fist very close to his face. He quickly crossed his arms and caught the second punch. While he did that, he swung his foot and hit Kakyou's side.

Suddenly, Kakashi found an arm wrap around his throat and his right arm was twisted behind him. The hold of his throat tightened uncomfortably and jolts of pain travelled through his arm as it was brought higher along his back. He bit down on the pain and attempted to get out of the hold before it would be too late.

"Kakyou!" Nagi called. Kakashi turned his attention to the other boy and noticed him do something. He brought his hands together in front of him and closed his eyes. "Have you heard of the _Hachimontonkou_?" Nagi asked. Kakashi's eyes widened.

"_Hachimontonkou_…The Eight Celestial Gates," he muttered, "He can open them?"

"Only the first Gate, but you can experience it yourself." Kakashi stiffened as the choke hold tightened further, pressing into his wind pipe. Then he saw Kakyou leap at him much quicker than before, that he could barely follow the movement. He could do nothing to avoid the blow that connected painfully to his chest. More surprising than the speed, was the power. Immediately, Kakashi tasted the blood that came with the winded cough through his mouth. The hits didn't stop there, as Kakyou continued to strike his torso. The lack of air wasn't making things any better. Kakashi slowly lifted his left arm.

"Don't try anything stupid," Nagi said, pulling his right arm higher. Kakashi bit back a pained cry that turned into another racking cough, and he sagged in Nagi's hold. Still, he fumbled with his sleeve, and finally found what he had been looking for. A trickle of blood ran down his left arm soaking through the cloth that covered his lower face as Kakyou's blows continued. But not for long. Kakashi yanked loose the kunai he had kept under his left sleeve with his teeth through the mask and dug it into Nagi's arm that held him. Nagi cried out and released Kakashi, who fell to his knees and coughed loudly. Kakyou soon joined Nagi on the ground and Kakashi looked up to find Obito standing there.

"You're late," Kakashi mumbled as he got to his feet, wiped the blood from his chin and moved his sore right arm a little.

"And you got yourself in a choke hold?" Obito mocked, and there was laughter in his voice.

"Shut it, snore boy," Kakashi retorted quickly.

"Then fight seriously. You don't have all day to spend with them."

"Then let's get this over with," Nagi said through clenched teeth, pulling the kunai out of his arm.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Midori was finding it difficult to fight Misa. Memories from four years ago kept disturbing her concentration, and that had already cost her a few cuts and bruises. She stepped aside and pushed Misa's fist away from her, then ducked under a round kick.

"Misa-chan, please," Midori said, "I don't want to fight. I just want you to realise how much your parents must be missing you."

"They don't mean anything to me anymore," Misa replied, going through seals and striking her hand into the ground, and the area in line with Midori cracked and exploded. Midori leapt out of the harm and raised her arms to block Misa's kick.

"But _you_ still mean a lot of them," Midori said.

"That's none of my concerns, and they aren't either."

"Misa-chan!"

"Stop calling me that!" Misa shouted angrily, pivoting on her left foot, gathering momentum as she spun and kicked Midori's midriff as she landed behind her. Midori winced, dropping to her knees. "If you aren't going to fight seriously then your life is going to end here," Misa said, raising a kunai and bringing it down on Midori.

"Why?" Midori asked, her head bowed. Misa flinched at the question and stopped the kunai halfway down. "Why?!" Midori asked again, raising her voice and looking up at Misa. "Why do you hate them so much?!" Misa took an insecure step backwards and cast her eyes to the side to avoid eye contact. Midori didn't move from her position on the ground.

"When I started at the Ninja Academy," Midori said, "I remember clearly that I also dejected my parents. I didn't care what they were saying, I was always very cold and unfriendly to them. I was so bent on becoming a great ninja that all I thought about was ninja, ninja, ninja. I didn't have any friends, and I dejected my family, so I became totally alone. I felt so lonely, the students at school hated me, and I thought my family hated me as well. But they didn't. It was like the first time I met them as I sat down at dinner one evening. And they encouraged me, and supported me. Parents are strange people. No matter how much you detest them, they still love you. Nanami-san and Kengou-san are the same. They're waiting for you every day, with a picture of you and them hanging on the kitchen wall, wishing that one day, you would knock on their door."

Misa had completely lost her secure wall that she had built around her heart. The kunai fell from her grasp, forgotten. The battle that still raged to their side was also forgotten. Misa stepped forward and dropped to her knees in front of Midori.

"Do you think…that they'll forgive me as well?" Misa asked timidly.

Midori smiled and nodded. "I'm sure they will."

A new light entered Misa's eyes and she smiled widely, and Midori could now fully believe that this was the girl she had seen in the photo. Then her eyes widened and she immediately leapt over Misa, throwing herself over her and pushing her down. She grimaced as she felt a couple sharp bolts of pain in her back from the shurikens that she had seen coming at Misa from a Cloud ninja.

Midori was furious as she got to her feet and faced her opponent. "She's your ally!" she spat.

"Who's become friendly with the enemy," he replied. "That's why kids are useless in wars. Their soft hearts pity their foes."

_Ninpo__ Kaze Kamaitachi. _Midori's slices of wind tore across the ground, but was countered with another wind attack. "Misa-chan, run!" she shouted over her shoulder, and once the other girl got out of harms way, Midori let go of her oppressed attack and leapt away. She landed behind her foe and silently went through hand seals.

_Katon__ Goukakyuu no_ – Midori was cut off when weapons flew from her opponent and struck her torso. She cried out and fell to her knees, watching him lung at her with another handful of kunais, but she wasn't going to give up. She finished the last seal, biting down on the pain. _Goukakyuu__ no jutsu!_

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Obito and Kakashi sprinted as fast as they could through the fighting shinobi to where Kakashi had left Midori. They suddenly stopped as a large stream of fire erupted from the area they were heading to.

"Midori!" they shouted and hurried, a fearful feeling tightening their insides. What they saw there shocked them. Midori had preformed a very tight Koukakyuu, which had scorched an adult ninja, now lying still on the ground, half his clothes burned off, and the skin horribly seared. To their horror, Midori collapsed, the blood pooling beneath her.

"Midori!" Obito screamed, as he and Kakashi rushed over to her side and lifted her head. "Midori wake up!" Obito shouted desperately.

Midori opened her eyes weakly and smiled at her team mates. The air stopped in Kakashi's throat as he saw two kunais sticking deeply into her neck, but he denied the possible thought.

"Kakashi…Obito…I've mastered the…Goukakyuu…"

"Midori!" Obito shouted as she fell limp in his arms, her eyes still open and she was still smiling. "Midori, wake up! Don't sleep now, wake up! Answer me! MIDORI!"

Kakashi shook his head slowly in denial and reached out to her neck with trembling fingers. He couldn't stop the trembling, but it hardly mattered. He lay two fingers the side of her neck and didn't feel the pulse. Panicking, he checked her wrist for a pulse, then brought his cheek close to her mouth for a breath. He didn't feel anything. His eyes widened and he quickly looked up at Obito, but his head was hanging so low and the sunlight was lost in the dusk, that he couldn't see his face.

"Midori…" Obito muttered, "Why didn't you just run? Why did you have to die?!"

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**Leilani** Oh right. Hehe, I'm on school holiday now, so I guess that helps. And I'm not making the average chapters too long, so…. School starts tomorrow though…(grumbles) Thank for your review!

**Takeru** lol. Sneaky person. Thanks for reading and reviewing. And yesh, yesh, I do intend to go that far (both Sharingan and Obito), though I don't know if it'll really fit in well with the real history of Konoha…o.o…oh well, I'm still working on it, but yes, it will come.

**Patty:** Hmm yeah…I've noticed as I've written the fic that I might be giving the three more power and potential than they really should have, and that's a big flaw…I tried to suppress it, but I couldn't really get in between average and genius…Midori and Obito are the same age as Kakashi, and I see what you mean…I suppose they're just highly talented…Thanks for asking me that, though it is difficult to answer. I guess I'll conclude that it was my mistake of making them a bit too strong for their ages, but otherwise I couldn't have come up with such a plot…Sorry about my mistake, please look over it with a blind eye. . And, not to mentioned the most important thing, thanks so much for reviewing!

**Rurikat** hehe, thanks a lot! I'll definitely keep writing with you guys as great reviewers!

**sUmbOdi** Thanks! I really appreciate your reviews! As you wish, the next chapter is up!

I do realise it was a big shorter than average…Sozzy (sorry)!!

Thanks for reading!  
-Fanyar-


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Chapter Thirteen:**

"Midori…" Obito muttered, "Why didn't you just run? Why did you have to die?!" The last word choked in his throat, and Kakashi flinched visibly. He clenched his teeth tightly, his fingers digging into the ground as his hands closed into fists. Obito lifted his hand onto Midori's forehead, then slid it down, until he had closed her eye lids. She looked so peaceful; it was as if she was sleeping. Kakashi couldn't bear to simply kneel there. He gently pulled out a kunai that was embedded into her arm and as if right on timing, a shinobi lunged at Obito from behind. Kakashi was over Obito and Midori within an eye blink, and with surprising speed, the kunai dug into the attacker's throat.

There was cold fury in Kakashi's eyes as some blood splashed onto his face. Up until then, none of the three in the team had intentionally killed a person. Now, Kakashi didn't care about such things. He went down with the already dead shinobi and yanked the weapon out with another spurt of blood. He straightened slowly and his face displayed the clear intention of killing anyone who came in his way. Blood dripped from the kunai he held lightly in his hand.

Obito held Midori for a few more moments before the battle began to disturb him again. He slowly lowered Midori's body to the ground, reaching over to bring her hands together over her chest. He closed his eyes and grinded his teeth together, bringing his hands away from her still warm body and abruptly standing up. His eyes snapped open, but they were red with two distinct black shapes in the shape of a dot with a curved tail. He spun around to face two descending shinobi with weapons, but upon seeing his eyes, they dropped back with startled looks.

"Sharingan," one of them muttered.

"So this is the rumoured Sharingan of one of the Konoha clans," the other said. "That's interesting!"

They continued their attack, throwing their weapons ahead of them, but Obito clearly saw each of them. He caught a kunai and using that as well as his other hand, flung away all the rest. His opponents came in from different angles, but he saw through their movements and countered their attacks. Within the next few seconds, Obito pulled the bloody kunai out of the throat of one of the men, and the other collapsed on his own after Obito had run the sharp blade along his spine.

"Don't even think of getting near Midori," Obito hissed quietly.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Misa found her team mates stirring from their unconscious states by the edge of the trees where hardly anyone came. She was surprised to find Nagi's forearm bandaged, even if it was hurried work.

"Nagi, Kakyou," she said, shaking them gently. "You two all right?"

"…Yeah…" Nagi mumbled, looking around. "Where are they?"

What they saw caused a cold shiver to run down their spines. The Cloud and Rock ninjas were being overwhelmed by the Leaf and Sand. Bodies were strewn everywhere, and their forces were starting to retreat. But what really caught their attention were Obito and Kakashi, working together to kill one to two shinobi at a time without hesitation.

"What are they?" Kakyou muttered.

"Strong individuals," Misa replied quietly and with sorrow in her voice, "both mentally and physically. They can stand up and continue to fight even after the death of one of their friends."

"The girl died?" Nagi asked quickly.

Misa cast her eyes down and nodded. "She protected me as I was weak enough to show defenceless openings."

"Let's go," Kakyou said softly, "That's the retreating sign."

Nagi and Misa nodded and the three leapt away. Misa picked a small flower she had found close to where Nagi and Kakyou had been, and as they followed their comrades, she quickly stopped by Midori's body and placed the flower above her hands then quickly left.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Kazuma had arrived near the closure of the battle. As he had returned to Konoha after a week due to the emergency task, he was immediately summoned to see the Hokage. As he had run to the Hokage's office, he noticed other ninjas going the opposite way, out of the village. Once he had talked to the Third, he understood why. After a brief exchange of news with the Third, Kazuma had been on his way to aid the battle, when he had asked about his team. The Third's only reply was that they had not been back yet from their mission.

Kazuma now stood with the other Leaf and Sand shinobi, watching their enemy retreat. His eyes scanned the gruesome battlefield grimly, seeing the damage done. Due to the dark, it was difficult to tell how much they had lost. Medics were already at the site, dealing with the injured, while all other ninjas that were capable of still moving helped with going through the field, first looking for anyone still alive, and then bringing the bodies of fallen comrades.

Enemy bodies were also gathered together and placed in rows within the trees, where they would later most probably be collected. Kazuma helped along with the others, his desire of stopping the war increasing a notch yet again. Every time he had cleaned up after a battle the feeling had become stronger. As Kazuma bent down to pick up another body to bring back, movement seen from the corner of his eye caught his attention. He straightened and turned around and saw a few figures moving through the darkness.

They moved closer and his eyes widened in shock and horror as he saw who they were. Kakashi walked beside Obito who carried Midori in his arms. Kakashi was bleeding from a wound on his head, the blood staining his silver hair, and he was holding a large gash on his left shoulder. Obito was limping a little, the fabric torn on his right leg, and there was blood trailing down from a wound on his thigh. They both had blood that didn't seem to be their own, staining their clothes and faces, which was mixed with the dirt. His heart stopped for a moment though, when he saw Midori's hands together along with a small, almost broken flower on her chest. He didn't need to be told that she was dead.

Kakashi noticed their teacher first but had nothing to say so looked back down at the ground. Obito held the gaze a little longer, but there was nothing but a blank, hollow look in his eyes. The two stopped in front of their teacher. Kazuma looked the two boys over and noticed that all the wounds were still quite fresh and bleeding freely. But what hurt him more were their dry eyes, devoid of any emotion except inner pain. But even those feelings were bottled up inside each of them, and with no where to go, the pain inflicted wounds within their hearts.

Kazuma looked down at Midori's peaceful features and reached down to run his hand through her hair and along her cheek. He saw where all the weapons had been, which the two had obviously pulled out. The horror was replaced with sad grief as he stared at her face.

"She died while protecting Gamashi Misa," Kakashi said in a quiet, toneless voice.

"Gamashi Misa," Kazuma repeated, recognising the name immediately. He sighed softly, almost silently. "I see. There are medics back near the trees. Go have your injuries treated."

"They can wait until we get back to the village, sensei," Obito said.

"Obito – "

"Sensei," Kakashi cut in, "we'll be back to help out."

Kazuma didn't argue with them in their current conditions. To be truthful, he couldn't. He watched as they walked past him and towards the edge of the forest where all the other fallen Leafs were being placed. _It is a cruel fate to live during the warring years_, he thought sadly, turning away and continuing his work with a clouded, pained mind.

Kakashi and Obito refused the help of the medics as they headed back out to the battlefield after leaving Midori's body with the others. They never spoke a word to each other, but they stayed together. The dark, thick clouds that had hung low over the lands during the day had remained and now hid the moon and stars. Thunder rumbled, at first quite a distance away, but it soon got closer. The wind became stronger and colder, and no one was surprised, if they cared at all, when the rain began to fall. It washed away the blood, mixing it with the watery dirt and the earth absorbed it all. The water was cold, even though it was only mid autumn. No one cared though, as their clothes stuck to their skin and the wind made it seem even colder.

The battlefield was quickly cleared up, the bodies and all the weapons included. In the pouring rain, the Leaf and Sand shinobi parted, and each headed their own way home. Kakashi and Obito remembered to pick up the bags they had dropped off at the beginning of the battle, which seemed like years ago. Kakashi took both his and Midori's. They rejoined the others and went along in silence.

Halfway there, Kakashi noticed Obito starting to slow down and realised he was having difficulty keeping up with the fast pace. He dropped back as well and ignoring the stiffening shoulder wound, he looped Obito's right arm around his neck and held his waist with his left hand. That way Obito could take off some weight from the injured leg.

"Thanks," Obito muttered as they caught up with the rest.

"No problem," Kakashi replied quietly. "Since when were you able to control the Sharingan?" He wanted desperately to steer their thoughts away from Midori.

"Just then," Obito replied. "The elders of the Uchiha clan will be pleased." His voice was soft, and Kakashi thought he heard something between sarcasm and bitterness that he didn't quite understand. _Pleased when the Sharingan was activated because of Midori's death?_ he thought, but he quickly regretted thinking about it. Something got stuck in his throat and he found he couldn't say anything else. They went without talking for the rest of the trip.

The few handfuls of shinobi who had stayed behind in Konoha in case of further attacks quickly spotted their comrades coming back and immediately opened the gates. Word spread swiftly of their return, and the villagers came out anxiously into the rain to see them return. Many were nervously searching for the ninjas they were familiar with, family, friends or lovers, while others came out simply to try and comfort the battle worn people with their presence. The Third met them at the far end of the main street, under the rock faces. His aged face looked pale and weary, his eyes grim and full of sorrow. It seemed as though he had been standing out there for a while, for his clothes were wet and water dripped from his Hokage hat.

The shinobi, dirty and wet, spread out in unorganised rows before their leader in silence as the rain continued to pelt down on them all. The Hokage looked over them slowly, and his eyes caught Obito and Kakashi behind the front row. He was shocked to see them there. He closed his eyes and when he opened them, he continued to glance at each one. The medics had already left the group, taking the badly injured and dead with them to the hospital. The Third sighed, but the sound was drowned out by the splashes of rain.

"Thank you all for protecting Konoha and the people of Fire Country," he said loud enough to be heard now. His voice seemed also tired and heavy, but his words were soft in the ears of the shinobi who had heard nothing but battle noises for the past hours. "But more important than that, thank you all for coming back to us. Please go now, and rest your bodies and minds well."

"Hai, Hokage-sama," a few people mumbled at different times, and gradually, the group of people thinned out. Kazuma and the Third locked gazed for a moment before Kazuma headed over to Obito and Kakashi. Without saying a word, he led them away to the hospital, and they didn't refuse.

Kakashi and Obito stopped outside the main entrance of the hospital.

"Kazuma-sensei," Obito said, turning around with Kakashi, since he was still leaning on his friend for support. "Can we go and see Midori one last time before her body is burned?" Kakashi nodded once. Kazuma was stunned to hear the question come so calmly without quavering. He looked deeply into each of their eyes, and saw the reason behind the steady voice. He should have known it before. The pain and anguish were now leaking into their eyes, though they weren't crying, but he knew that to ask such a question had been very difficult. He hesitated. Would fulfilling their request be the final blow to shattering their mental walls withholding their grief? Still, there was no possible way that he could deny their wish. He finally nodded and led the way around the front of the hospital, down an alley and towards the back of the building. Beyond the large garden used by the patients, there was a high wall partly covered by plants, and they went further behind that.

There they found a flat, rectangular building made of stone. Kazuma led the two boys inside. They found a group of people wearing black clothes working silently in the dimly lit room. They paid little attention to the three. They were carrying the bodies of the recently killed shinobi, wrapping up any open wounds and clothing them in white kimonos. The three made their way passed the working people and towards a raised stone platform where a smaller figure lay.

Kakashi, Obito and Kazuma saw Midori laying there, her wounds already covered and her body was wearing the white kimono, except, as it always was with the dead, the kimono's front hems were switched around. Usually when anyone wore a kimono, the right would go under the left. However, with the dead, the left went under the right. Her Konoha marked forehead protector was placed on her chest under her clasped hands.

Obito pulled his arm from around Kakashi and stood on his own, brushing his fingertips against her cheek. Her skin was cold. He pulled down his amazingly still intact goggles so they rested against his neck now. Kakashi gazed at her face and could almost see her crack open an eye, stick out her tongue playfully and laugh. He wished she would do that, he wished she would just tell them it was a long nightmare, or that she had only been pretending. He wished above all else to hear her teasing, joyful voice. Nothing came, and he ran his fingers down her arm and rested his hand on hers. Kazuma ruffled her neatly combed hair a little, and it looked more like the Midori he had known for the past nearly five years.

After a few minutes, Kazuma finally looked up at the two boys and placed his hands on their shoulders, gently applying some force. They obliged and each pulled back their hands. Obito's left leg buckled, but Kakashi caught him in time and slung his arm around his neck again.

"Sayonara (1), Midori," Obito whispered, taking a last look at her face.

"Mata, itsuka aouna (2)," Kakashi added. Then they walked away, none of them glancing back.

_The Shinobi saying number 25: No matter what situation, a shinobi must keep emotions on the inside...You must make the mission your top priority and you must possess a heart that never shows tears for any reason._

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(1): Goodbye, but with a deeper meaning of not seeing someone forever or for a long time.

(2): Let's see each other again sometime. (sorry, I just couldn't fit that into context without making it Japanese…It didn't seem right, but I'm probably the only who'll think that…sorry.)

(sniffle sniffle) I hate writing this, I really do, but I decided at the very beginning that this was about Kakashi's painful past so…so…(sniffle)

**HikaruOfArrow** Thanks a bunch for always reviewing. You won't believe how much it helps me keep going.

**Patty:** Thanks! (hugs)

**sUmbOdi** I'm sorry...yes, Midori's truly dead…I've grown so much attached to her as well… . War will end soon, I hope…As I said in the earlier chapters, I'm pretty much making up the story as I write…Thanks for your support!

Thanks for reading everyone!

-Fanyar-


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Chapter Fourteen:**

_"Kakashi! Obito!" Midori called, laughing and running over to them, waving her hand in the air. _

_"Let's go already!" she said, jogging on the spot and looking very impatient. _

_"Sorry I'm late!" She poked out her tongue and blushed sheepishly, scratching the side of her face with her finger. _

_"Obito! You're going to pay for that!" She chased angrily after him, her hands full of weapons. _

_"Let me sleep a little longer," she moaned, tucking her head to her chest, curling up and turning away from the sunlight._

_"Kakashi will you please _smile_!?" She held a camera in her hand, frustrated. _

_"I will not be teamed up with a goggled idiot and a masked genius!" She slammed her hands down on the academy table and glared death at the two boys. _

_"I guess…I could live with working with you two," she admitted reluctantly, looking away and knotting her hands behind her head. _

_"_What_ were you saying about Midori the tomboy, Obito?" she asked very sweetly, the edges of her eyes twitching with anger. _

_Midori laughed innocently and cheerfully. _

_"Kazuma-sensei, Obito, Kakashi," she called gently with a warm smile; her eyes curved upwards, the breeze gently blowing her hair to the side. _

The day after the battle, there was a mournful ceremony of the deceased at the one temple in Konoha. It was usually not occupied by anyone, though it was left open everyday for people to come to. Monks, who were usually retired, or a few working, shinobi, came only on special occasions, such as that day. Pictures of the fallen heroes and heroines were placed into frames and propped in the temple where the villagers, clad in black, came to put flowers in front of the photos.

Kakashi and Obito had been through a number of these ceremonies for the various battles that took place over the past few years, and it wasn't as if they hadn't lost people they knew, simple acquaintances. But it was the first time that someone they really knew, were really close to had passed away. They looked sadly at the smiling Midori looking back at them from the photo as they took their turn of leaving a flower. Memories flooded their minds.

As the service came to a close, they left the temple and walked down a stoned path to the grave stones. It was late in the afternoon, but the clouds blocked the sun. It was a dreary day, but at least it was dry. The wind was strong and cold and the breaths turned into thin white vapour. There were quite a lot of people in the area, but it was still mostly silent. Young children cried as well as a few women, but very quietly. The others stood in sombre silence in front of the newly made stones, the names of the deceased carved there. Some names were simply added to the list on a family grave, and that was the case with Midori. Kakashi, Obito and Kazuma stood together before the tall, rectangular stone, the smell of incense filled the air close by, burning slowly in front of the grave.

Kakashi had a clean, white bandage wrapped around his head and his left arm was in sling to keep the shoulder wound still and undisturbed. Obito leaned on one crutch. They had woken up after noon in the hospital, where Kazuma had quietly asked the nurses to drug them into deep sleep, hoping to numb their inner pain even a little for a short period of time.

Suddenly the three of them looked up to see a woman and her husband walk towards them. Silent tears were running down the woman's face, and the three of them recognised her as Midori's mother, Matsune. Her husband, Eiji was a senior Jounin. They were hardly surprised to see the three there, but they didn't say anything. Together, they stood in the cold and simply stared at the tomb. Matsune continued to cry, and Eiji could do nothing more than put a comforting arm around her shoulders.

"Why," Matsune suddenly whispered in a hoarse, choked voice. "Why? Why Midori? Why our beloved daughter?"

"Matsune," Eiji said softly, "There was nothing we could have done. Becoming a ninja was her dream and she fulfilled it. The moment she chose her life, there were risks such as this."

His wife almost ignored him. She shook her head slowly from side to side, slipping down to her knees and holding her hands up to her face, her sobs getting louder.

"You were with her, weren't you?" she mumbled again, lowering her hands a little and glancing at Kakashi and Obito. "Why – ?" Her words turned into a half sob, half choke, a fresh wave of tears flowing from her grief stricken eyes. "Why couldn't you save her?!" she said, her hands going up to grip Kakashi's shoulders, her words loud but not accusing. She sounded like she was begging. Kakashi stiffened as her hand landed right on his injury, but he absorbed the pain and it soon died down. But he was hardly paying attention to the discomfort. He closed his eyes and opened them only when he was looking down at the ground, avoiding Matsune's eyes. The words had stabbed through him, and he relived Midori's death again in his mind. If he had been just a little quicker, he might have made it to save Midori. If…

"Matsune!" Eiji said reaching over to place his hand on her shoulder, but she didn't react to it.

"Midori…Why?...Why?" She kept repeating that word over and over again. Her arms slid behind Kakashi and rested her forehead on his right shoulder. Kakashi kept his eyes fixed on the ground and didn't move. Not even a few words came into his head to try and comfort her. He found he couldn't even move his hands a little to embrace her. He simply stood there, at a complete loss. Matsune's sobs rang in his ears and her tears gradually dampened his clothes, but he didn't care. It was the least he could do to let her use him as a support.

Finally Matsune's sobbing began to subside and she calmed down enough for Eiji to take her home. He hurriedly apologised for her behaviour, but Kakashi just shook his head to mention that he didn't mind. The air was getting colder and despite the clouds, it was clearly getting late. Kazuma urged the two to head back to the hospital where they would be staying another night. Obito crouched down slowly, careful of his left leg and lit another couple of incense, pushing them into the sandy material keeping the upright. He looked at Midori's name and smiled a little, sadly.

"We'll come again soon, Midori," he said, then got his crutches again and pulling himself upright. Kazuma saw to it that the two got back to the room they shared in the hospital before leaving to see the Hokage.

"Kakashi," Obito said all of a sudden, sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Mn?" Kakashi laid his head on the slightly raised bed but turned to face Obito.

"Sorry."

"Eh?" He was caught quiet off guard at the sudden comment.

"Remember a few years ago, when we were escorting Kengou-san?" Obito asked. Kakashi nodded. "I said something about nothing defeating us as a team. Sorry I couldn't keep that promise."

Kakashi pushed himself off the clean pillows and looked at Obito. He vaguely remembered that time. He sighed softly. "I was a part of that promise as well," he said. "The blame lays the same amount on me as it does on you."

Obito looked up from the floor then he smiled in appreciation for hearing those words. Kakashi returned the smile, though it was hidden under his mask, but Obito saw it in his eyes.

"Let's live our lives for Midori as well," Kakashi said.

"Yeah." Then he chuckled softly, "Otherwise she's going to come back every year and haunt our very steps."

"Good point."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Will you take the offer, Kazuma?" the Third asked. He sat at his desk in his office with his hands strung together supporting his chin. His eyes, heavily burdened and yet penetrating, stared straight at Kazuma who stood halfway between the door and the desk. Kazuma closed his eyes with a sigh, lifting his head a little and when he reopened his eyes, he looked out at Konoha through the windows behind the Hokage. His eyes were distant and thoughtful. Almost a minute passed before Kazuma finally lowered his eyes to meet the Hokage's piercing gaze. The Third knew the reply before it was even spoken out loud.

"I am afraid I cannot for the time being," he said. "I have a team that still needs me, especially now. Give me another year with them, Hokage-sama. By then, they will be less reliant on me."

The Third sighed deeply and nodded. "I understand. But keep in mind that Konoha needs a strong, reliable leader who can create the path into peace. I have done all that I can during the warring years, it is now time for the younger generation to take over."

"Hai."

There was a knock on the door, and before the Third could answer, someone opened it and entered. Kazuma didn't look back to see who it was.

"Sarutobi-sensei," Orochimaru said as he swept past Kazuma, then he stopped and glanced at the other Jounin. "Oh, am I interrupting anything?" he asked smoothly. Kazuma wasn't all too fond of the man, but respected him nonetheless.

"No, we were finished, Orochimaru-sama," he replied with a polite smile and bow. He turned and bowed to the Hokage as well before retreating out of the office. As he closed the door he heard Orochimaru talking.

"Sarutobi-sensei, this search is in vain. Tsunade is no where to be seen, it is useless to continue – "

The rest was blocked out by the door and Kazuma didn't attempt to eaves drop on other business. He turned and walked out of the building, surprised to find his teacher standing on the roof of the connected building.

"Jiraiya-sensei," he said, changing directions and heading towards the white haired man. Jiraiya smiled at his former student.

"I hope that Orochimaru didn't disturb you," Jiraiya said.

"No, we were about finished in any case," Kazuma replied truthfully. "Since when were you back? I haven't seen you in a while."

"Two days ago. I left Orochimaru to finish up his search when I heard of the battle. I was told to stay here though, in case other enemies would use the chance to attack the village."

"Tsunade-sama's search was not successful then?" There had always been groups of shinobi on the lookout for the Sannin, but there were no traces of her as of yet. It had been at least a few years since her sudden disappearance. Jiraiya sighed and shook his head.

"Orochimaru's rather ticked off now that we have to do such a mission, but the geezer thought we might be able to find her and bring her back." He looked at his student for a while before asking, "Are you accepting the title of Hokage?"

Kazuma didn't reply right away, moving beside his teacher and resting his arms on the cold railings. He looked out at the village once again, squinting his eyes against a cold burst of wind.

"No," he said. "At least not now. I love the village and all its people, I want to do whatever I can to protect them. But now, there are two others that desperately need my help. If I become the Hokage, I will no longer be able to be with them so much. I cannot simply leave them at this stage."

"The Kakashi kid and Uchiha Obito, huh," Jiraiya commented, leaning his weight on his elbows against the rails. "Sorry to hear about the girl."

"They're still young. Even if their talents were outstanding, maybe it was still too early. Maybe I should have waited another few years," Kazuma muttered.

"It's their fate to have to be strong," Jiraiya said sternly. "Sure they'll need you, but what they need most is your trust. They'll get over it and become stronger."

"Hai."

"Well then." The older man stretched his arms out a little. "I think I'll go do some research while Orochimaru complains all he wants to the geezer."

"Research?" Kazuma asked with a frown, turning around to face Jiraiya. "I doubt Tsunade-sama can be found like that."

"Huh? Tsunade?" he asked with his eyebrow raised. "Oh no, if that violent powerhouse doesn't want to be found, there's no chance of even picking up a small clue. I'm doing some other, _funner_ research." A smirk crossed his face and Kazuma couldn't understand. "Oh you'll get it when you're older, Kazuma," Jiraiya called over his shoulder. "A cold day like this is the perfect day to dip into some nice, warm bath. _Oh_ yes indeed it is."

Kazuma got a vague idea, but shut it out of his mind. _No, surely Jiraiya-sensei won't be doing anything like that at such a desperate time. No, definitely not. No, surely not. No, probably not. No, maybe not. No…That _pervert_ sensei._

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**Leilani:** It's not a problem, I have days like that as well…Thanks for reviewing!  
**HikaruOfArrow:** Thanks a bunch! I think I should update the genre and add in angst…  
**Patty:** Hehe, questions are always welcome. Thanks for reviewing though, and now to the answer…Misa, well, I suppose I might as well go into her a little. She's played her part, but I can always bring her in again at times. So yeah, might go into her inner thoughts, and that would answer your first question as well: why she changed so quickly. No, unfortunately not much of Itachi or the Uchiha. And not too much of Kakashi's upbringing. Good ideas for future fics though….  
**AnarchisticDaydreams:** Thanks for your compliments! Yes, I'll be updating soon, please continue to enjoy!  
**Takeru:** Actually, Midori is a character that I made up. And Obito isn't mentioned too well in the anime or manga…But I won't give away anymore spoilers…Already have, so I'm bad… . Anyways, thanks for reviewing!  
**Gisela:** Lol, thanks for your review! It's really nice to hear your ideas. I'm not that much a great writer, I hardly even had most of the things you mentioned about plans of getting the story going well. . I just love to write, and I do, without really thinking so much into the future of the story. Very lousy to be exact, but yeah, that's me. Hope you continue to enjoy the fic!  
**Rurikat:** Thanks again for your review! Yeah, I was about to post the chapter when I remembered the perfect saying. . Last minute thinker. Glad you enjoyed it!

You guys are great! Thanks so much for all your encouragements! (hugs all) Sorry it's a tad bit short this time, Kind of late and my eyes are becoming bleary…(1:05 am) Aah! School tomorrooooow! .  
And if anyone hasn't really noticed yet, my sense of humour is….BAD…to say the least, so please don't get mad at me!  
  
Thanks for reading!  
-Fanyar-


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Chapter Fifteen:**

Obito groaned and stretched his tired arms. He and Kakashi walked through the thin layer of snow that lay on the path leading to the graveyard behind the temple. They walked up the stone stairs, and despite the cold weather, they were only wearing thing layers. Obito wore a black long sleeved shirt, the collar grey and quite wide around his neck. His trousers were loose and tied down with bandages at the bottom, matching the grey of his collar. Kakashi's sleeves were just short of his wrists, but he had bandages rolled across his entire forearms, partly covered by the navy sleeve. His matching trousers were similar to Obito's, and he hadn't lost the mask covering his lower face. Obito still had his goggles and had a long, thin wooden pick between his teeth. They both wore their Chuunin vests along with their weapon pouches.

The wind was cold, blowing snow from tree tops, but the two hardly noticed. In fact, small beads of sweat still clung to their faces, and there was colour in their cheeks from much exercise. Kakashi walked with his hands stuck in his pockets while Obito loosely hooked his hands behind his head.

"Kazuma-sensei didn't have to go so hard on us on such a day, did he?" Obito grumbled. "The snow comes up to our knees up there!" By 'there', he was referring to the training grounds.

"Kept us warm though," Kakashi said. They passed the empty temple and came out into the large flat area filled with gravestones.

"Still…" The two stopped in front of a certain stone and Kakashi crouched down to brush off the snow clinging to the front of the stone. "You're lucky you missed that, Midori," Obito continued with an envious grin.

"Three months, huh," Kakashi said, cleaning away the snow from other parts of the small family grave.

"It's been quite quick, come to think about it," Obito added. Kakashi agreed. The countries were quiet during the past months, and there were hardly any problems at all come to think about it. Everyone guessed that it was either the calm before the storm, or a time where every hidden village was licking their wounds. In either case, it was pleasant to be able to not worry every minute about the conflicts. Kazuma had taken the two away from missions for a while to focus more on their training. Honing their skills and adding more techniques to their jutsu list. Though the days were filled with hard, intensive work, it wasn't unpleasant. Especially right after Midori's death, Kazuma's program had been in particular hard, which had helped to take their minds off their missing team mate until their minds could cope with it all.

It had begun to become a routine. By nine in the morning, Obito and Kakashi would meet up with Kazuma in the training grounds, and they would be there until around four or five, taking a short break at lunch. After the first few weeks, Kakashi and Obito had started to visit Midori's grave after training. It had been a little hard and painful at first, but that feeling eased each time they went. It had always been different without Midori, but they began to accept the fact and with more determination, faced the practices. They had often met other Genin groups up in the grounds, but Kazuma hadn't allowed them to be distracted.

"Hey Kakashi," Obito suddenly said.

"Yeah?"

"Are you doing anything tonight?"

"No, why?"

"Why don't you come over for dinner?" Obito asked. "It'll be fun."

Kakashi shrugged, "Thanks, but it's alright."

"Oh come _on_," Obito said. Kakashi rolled his eyes at the pleading voice and knew he would soon turn into something similar to a puppy wanting a stick thrown. He quickly bent down to light a few incense sticks, then started to turn away.

"We'll come again, Midori," he said, and then started to walk away. Obito tightened his lips, watching Kakashi's back for a moment.

"Cya Midori," he said quickly and ran after his friend. When he came close, he pounced on Kakashi and caught him off guard. With a surprised sound Kakashi stumbled and Obito looped his arm around his neck in a friendly choke hold.

"Obito! Cut it out!" Kakashi half shouted.

"Not until you agree to come!" Obito replied, swinging backwards with his arm still locked around Kakashi.

"Obito!" Kakashi cried, losing his footing on the slippery ground. With an alarmed shout, the both of them went tumbling down the slope beside the stone steps they had mounted just a while ago. Due to the snow that was thicker on the grass than the paved roads, the two went rolling head over heels and landed with a loud thud, a small cloud of snow dust rising into the air.

"Great job, Obito. Surprised you didn't get that long stick of yours in your throat," Kakashi mumbled, rubbing his dizzy head and sitting up. Obito moved his jaw with his hands, guessing he had hit it somewhere during their roll. Nevertheless, he smirked playfully and shrugged, shifting the stick to the other side of his mouth. Kakashi got to his feet, brushing off the cold snow. "Here," he said, offering Obito a hand.

"Thanks," Obito replied, reaching up, but got a sudden idea. As he took Kakashi's hand, he threw his weight backwards and that was enough to get his friend off his feet again and heading right for the ground. Kakashi growled and put out his other hand to the ground and rolled over the arm.

"Will you stop it!" he said as got back up from the roll.

"No," Obito answered, lunging at him and Kakashi was forced to avoid the blows and run. They ran all the way back to the center of the village, where the people were walking around as usual. They spared the two a few curious glances.

"Kakashi! It's the next right turn!" Obito called.

"I said I'll pass the dinner!" Kakashi shouted over his shoulder, continuing down the street.

"I never accepted that answer!"

"Oh, will you stop this already!" Kakashi shouted, taking a sharp turning and running down a narrow alley.

"Will you come to dinner then?"

"I already answered that before!"

With the two of them shouted back and forth to each other, they practically covered most of the main areas of the village, chasing each other. When it got dark and the lights were turned on in the houses, Kakashi finally managed to lose Obito and he headed to his apartment. He leaned against the wall in front of his door for a little while to rest. There was no one else on the floor and it was silent except for his breathing. Inside the heated building, it felt much too hot and stuffy. He quickly went into his room, only to see something white, round and very quick fill his vision.

"Arg!" Kakashi hit his head against the closed door and immediately pushed away the cold snowball that had hit him square in the face. "Obito!" He knew who exactly who it was before his blurred eyes could even focus on the figure crouching beside the open window. Obito laughed and hopped into the room.

"Don't _ever_ think you can get away from me, Kakashi," Obito said. Kakashi rolled his eyes and sighed exasperatedly. He dried his face on his sleeve and took off his shoes. Obito did likewise, closed the window, then sat down on the edge of Kakashi's bed.

"What is it with tonight?" Kakashi asked. He pulled himself onto the desk and rested his feet on the chair.

"I wonder what it is," Obito replied with a mocking grin. "What's today's date?"

Kakashi glanced at the calendar on the wall, wondering what the sudden question and change of topic was all about. "24th of December," he said. "What's so special about it?"

"Do you ever take a look at all the decorations in the village?" Obito asked with a curious look. Kakashi frowned. "Let me spell it out to you then: C-h-r-i-s-t-m-a-s E-v-e."

Then it dawned on Kakashi. The surprised look on his face made Obito make a strange, half annoyed, half are-you-an-idiot noise. It soon turned into a soft chuckle.

"_That's_ what tonight is all about," Obito said. "I mean, of course it isn't such a big deal in the village, but it's always fun to celebrate."

"You could have told me that in the beginning," Kakashi muttered, resting his forearms on his knees and leaning forward in a casual position. "Wouldn't have had to go through all the running."

Obito shrugged, "You didn't ask. But now that you've heard the reason, will you come?"

"What if I still say 'no'?"

"I'll knock you out, tie you up with chains and drag you through the snow to our house. How does that sound?"

"A brilliant plan," he replied, "if you can successfully complete the very first step."

Obito thought about that for a moment, his face becoming thoughtful. After a while, his eyes slid over to meet Kakashi's and he raised an eyebrow. "Want to bet on that one?" he asked.

"If you're willing to lose money, then sure."

Obito grinned and Kakashi smiled a little as well.

"When is it?" Kakashi asked.

"Anytime you like," Obito replied. "Dinner will be around six or seven."

"I'll drop by quickly then, if it's all right with your family."

Obit just smiled and nodded. "Good, then I'll get going," he said, bending down to put his shoes back on. "I'll see you soon." With that, he left through the window again.

"Houses are built with very convenient things called 'doors', Obito," Kakashi muttered, going over to close the window and stop the cold draft coming in. His body had adjusted to the temperature by that time. He sighed as he sat down on the bed and slipped off his vest and forehead protector, discarding them beside him. He glanced at the small shelves under the window and noticed a certain picture placed there beside scrolls and books. He shifted on the bed and picked up the photo stand, looking down at the picture. Midori, Obito, Kazuma and him were staring out of it, the three of them in the front and their teacher behind them. He remembered the day they had taken it. It hadn't been long since they had been promoted as Genins. He took the hem of his shirt and wiped the dust off the frame and then placed it back in its place. He fell onto his back, staring up at the ceiling, using his hands to pillow his head.

Obit had changed. They were very minor changes, but he hadn't failed to miss them. Maybe he would have changed even if Midori hadn't have died, or maybe it was because of it, but Kakashi didn't know. Obito had used to be more quiet and laid back, preferring to listen rather than do the talking. But now, he seemed more lively and outgoing in a way. Like the act he had pulled at the graveyard. He probably wouldn't have done such a thing a couple of months ago. Kakashi had a few guessed why he had changed, but he wasn't at all sure about any of them. Either he was creating a mask to cover his grief, or he was trying to make up for the talking and action Midori would have usually done. Or another possibility was it took his mind off his grief to joke around. Or, it was simply because he was still undergoing a change of personality that was natural for all growing kids.

It didn't really matter though. Kakashi didn't dislike the Obito now. It got him to sometimes slip in quick remarks as well. Midori's death was still heavy in his heart, and especially when he was alone, he couldn't help but think about her. Nevertheless, he might have been able to cope with it better if it had been happy memories. At times, he was lucky and his thoughts turned to their younger days, but most of the time, he relived the moments before her death. The question Matsune had repeated over and over again still rang in his head. Why could he have saved her? Why couldn't he have prevented at least some of the weapons that got to her. Why did he ever leave her side to go off and fight Kakyou and Nagi? Why?

Kakashi snapped his eyes closed and closed his arms around his head, forcing himself to think about something else. Anything else. He sat up quickly and swung his legs over the side of the bed. Standing up for a moment, he reached over to his desk and got a scroll off it. Opening it, he scanned over the content a number of times. There were a number of techniques written in there, the hand seals and a few other small points about each one. He sat back down on the bed and began to memorise the seal orders of the techniques he wanted to learn next.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Kakashi looked up at the large house he stood in front of. He had known the location of Obito's house and he had been there a number of times, but he hadn't spent the time to go in and look around. It was dark and the only lights came from the street lamps and the windows of other houses. There were very few people on any of the streets, since everyone was home and enjoying themselves on the holiday evening. Kakashi glanced down at the paper bag he was holding and hesitated. He had left his vest and forehead protector in his apartment along with all his ninja tools. He had taken off the bandages wrapped around his forearms and had left them as well. Over his clothes, he wore a simple, dark grey coat that was just short of his knees. He had found it that evening as he had been looking for a coat to wear.

He put the bag down, leaning it against the main entrance, then turned away from the house. He had fulfilled his promise after all, for dropping by. It just didn't seem right that he should disturb a family celebration, no matter how casual and informal it was. He had barely walked a few steps however, when he heard the door bang open and before he could turn around, something caught him around the neck.

His reflexes came immediately to him, but he sighed and relaxed. He looked down at what was holding him and raised an eyebrow.

"You actually had the chains ready?" he asked without turning around.

"You never know what Hatake Kakashi is thinking," Obito replied. Kakashi untangled himself from the loose hold and while holding the chain in his hand, he turned around. Obito was leaning casually against the doorframe, his right hand holding the other end of the chain and his left hand stuffed into his pocket.

"You could have at least thought of something more…discreet," Kakashi said. Obito laughed. Kakashi tossed the chain to his friend who deftly wrapped it up within the next second.

"My question is, where were you thinking of going?" Obito asked, noticing the paper bag that was now leaning against his leg. Kakashi simply shrugged. "Don't tell me you forgot which way you needed to walk to get into through the door."

"I'm not like you," Kakashi responded dryly and quietly. Obito looked at him questioningly, but Kakashi decided not to elaborate on that matter.

"Well if you aren't going to answer the question, then at least don't stay out in the cold and bring it all into the house," Obito said, stepping back from the door and beckoned him inside. Kakashi hesitated again, and Obito tightened the chain in his hands to make a quick snapping warning. Kakashi sighed, knowing it was too late now anyways to try and run.

"Okay, okay, I'm coming," he mumbled and he stepped into the bright entrance, picking up the paper bag on his way. It was quite spacious, and designed in the fashion of old Japanese households. Obito closed the door behind them and stepped up onto the polished wooden floor. Kakashi slipped off his shoes but before he mounted the step, he held out the bag to Obito.

"I'm not really familiar with buying presents," he mumbled, "but if your family wants to use them…"

Obito grinned and took the bag. "Thanks, Kakashi," he said. "Mum's cooking dinner; it won't be long."

He led Kakashi through the corridors and into the dining room where his family was. They greeted him enthusiastically and though they Kakashi had hardly met any of them, they talked to him like they had known him for years. They were seemingly undisturbed by his laid back and silent personality, and Kakashi found it easy to stay with them unlike most groups of people. Before long, he found he was enjoying himself, his mind being free of all burdens and dark thoughts, at least for that night. He was glad.

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One thing to note: Christmas isn't an official celebration in the Japanese tradition, so I hope no one was offending when I wrote about it being not so special…

**HikaruOfArrow** Thanks again! Btw, thanks for reviewing Bakumatsu no Douran! I was surprised when I saw it…I'll see if I can find the muse to start up on that again sometime.  
**Leilani** hehe, glad you liked the humour. . Thanks for reviewing!  
**Takeru** lol. It's harder to update quickly during school days, but I try my best! Plus it's better than doing homework… . I shouldn't be thinking that way! And no, I have no idea who that woman is who was with Kakashi before the Third's funeral.  
**Magicians of the Yami:** Thanks a bunch!  
**Rurikat** Thanks for the review! And you'll have to wait and see for that. .  
**MP1:** Glad you like it! And thanks for reviewing! Yep, update on its way!  
**sUmbOdi** Aw (pats). Yeah, Midori will R.I.P. I feel so bad writing things that make you guys sad! And Nakama means comrades/friends/important people. Kind of like that. Thanks for your encouraging words!

Thanks a million everyone! I really, really mean it!  
-Fanyar-


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**Chapter Sixteen: **

Kakashi slid along the snow with his hand out to slow him down. He stopped for a moment, listening, then immediately leapt to the side and went up into the bare trees. As he sprang from between branches, he tensed and reached up to grab a higher limb of a tree and flipped over onto it. A stream of fire blasted the space he had been and the branch he would have landed on. In a crouch, he stayed still for a moment, before slipping out two kunais and holding them between his fingers. He jumped up a second before shurikens splintered the tree and sent one kunai in the direction he knew Obito was in. Spinning around in the air, he hurled the other kunai in the opposite direction and it clanged against a shuriken heading his way.

Kakashi landed on the floor and reached out with all his senses except his sight. He had a blindfold over his eyes. He slowed down his breathing and simply remained kneeling in the thick layer of snow, waiting.

Kazuma had allowed the two a day off since it had been Christmas, but they had continued their training as usual after the small break. That morning, Kazuma had given a blind fold to Kakashi to sharpen his other senses. They had done that quite often and they had had many difficulties with it at first. His first experience was filled with landed half a foot off on a branch and nearly falling off, running straight into trees, trying to reach a branch that was nonexistent, hitting the ground hard before the calculated timing, or simply just getting lost in the trees. Obito hadn't had any better luck. But after nearly three months of it, they had gotten more used to it and they were now able to fight almost normally.

The wind blew around the trees and it felt nice against his hot skin. Slowly, he straightened and turned fifteen minutes to his right when he heard someone landing on the snow. Without a word, the two engaged in hand to hand combat, Kakashi feeling his way around to the blows. Once he felt the side of his hand brush against something plastic and guessed it was Obito.

Kakashi was a second late in jumping and Obito swept him off his feet. Kakashi twisted around to stop his fall with his hands and swung his lower body over himself into a back flip. He immediately ducked under a quick punch and his right foot swung in a low arc and hit Obito below the chest. With a grunt he fell back, but Kakashi rolled away just in time to avoid shurikens that he had heard whistling through the air. He wasn't given any time to get back to his feet before he felt Kazuma start to attack him. Unlike Obito, who he knew fairly well his attack patterns, Kazuma was more unpredictable and difficult to fore read his moves.

"Don't try and read the next attacks," Kazuma said calmly, as Kakashi stumbled and barely managed to regain his balance before the next attack came. He moved his head to the side, feeling his teacher's arm swing close to his neck. He then vaulted backwards to widen the gap. He took a deep breath and calmed the quick tempo of his heart. He stood up straighter and focused his senses once again, looking for the other two.

Something else caught his attention though.

"Don't lose your concentration," Kazuma called, which brought Kakashi's mind snapping back to the present situation. Without thinking, he hooked a kunai around his finger, slid it into his hand and raised it above his head, all in a quick, fluid motion. He braced it again another weapon coming down at him, then jumped back and he found himself pushing off the ground and connecting his foot against someone.

They continued like this for another almost thirty minutes until Kakashi was thrown back into a tree from an explosive strip of paper attached to a kunai. He had avoided the worst possible damage, but the force had still been quite large. His sleeves and bandages were singed and slightly torn from where he had held them in front of him out of reflexes. Obito and Kazuma dropped down beside him.

"Kakashi, you all right?" Obito asked.

Kakashi nodded, still trying to get his breathing under control. Kazuma smiled and pulled off the blind fold. Kakashi cringed under the sudden brightness and lifted his hand to cover his eyes.

"Well done, Kakashi," Kazuma said. Kakashi finally got to his feet and brushed the snow off of his clothes, which were quite tattered. He shrugged and looked around his surroundings. His eyes lingered on a path of evergreen trees to his left. Obito noticed this and glanced over in that direction as well.

"Akira?" Kazuma called, smiling.

"Sorry Kazuma," a voice said, along with the rustling of the branches. "He wouldn't budge until after he'd taken a good look at Kakashi's training." Akira dropped down and walked over to them, quickly followed by Gai. Kakashi had a bad feeling when he literally saw the fire burning in the Genin's eyes. He stuck his hands into his pockets and avoided eye contact. Obito chuckled.

"Akira-sensei," Gai said, tearing his eyes away from his rival and looking up at his teacher. "Does blindfolding and training help to make you stronger?"

Akira grinned and nodded. "It certainly sharpens your hearing, which is a much quicker sense than seeing. It's not easy though." His eyes trailed back to Kakashi, a look of wonder in his eyes.

"If it will make me stronger, then I will use that method!" Gai burst out.

"It's still too early for you, Gai," Akira tried to explain, but the boy was hardly listening.

"Even if it is hard training, I will do anything to defeat my Eternal Rival!" Fires of determination erupted around Gai.

"Eternal…Rival?" Kazuma repeated, glancing at the two boys. Obito's shoulders were trembling from suppressing laughter as he watched Kakashi's face. Every detail of his blank face clearly stated that it wasn't funny and that he wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible before anything could happen.

"Hatake Kakashi – !"

"Akira-sensei! Gai!"

Kakashi was relieved that voices cut off the Genin's unbelievably loud words. They all glanced up and saw two figures on their way down. He recognised them as Gai's team mates.

"There you are," one of them said.

"Sorry about that," Akira replied with an apologetic smile. He nodded towards Gai and Kakashi, and the two understood immediately. The sighed and shook their heads.

"Well, we'll continue our training," Kazuma said, also having a mind to stop anything before it starts.

"Yes of course," Akira replied, "Sorry again, Kazuma, for – "

"Please wait!" Gai shouted. "Please let me spar with Kakashi, Kazuma-san."

"Eh?" Kazuma muttered with a curious look.

"Gai!" Akira and his team mates shouted in unison.

"Not to worry, I won't lose!" Gai shouted enthusiastically, flashing his bright smile and sticking his thumb into the air.

"We aren't worried, you _will_ lose," the two team mates muttered.

"_If_, by any chance, I do lose, I will successfully master seven techniques in 24 hours!"

The Jounin teacher slapped his forehead with his palm and shook his head. He shot Kazuma a pleading look, but found the other Jounin rather interested in the outgoing boy. Kazuma looked up, but before he could speak, Obito beat him to it.

"I don't think it's a bad idea, sensei," he said, much to Kakashi's horror and disbelief. "Kakashi's quite tired and if he bind one of his arms or something, it'll become fair, don't you think?"

"Obito!" Kakashi said through clenched teeth. He grinned.

"Come on, he's been dying to fight you ever since he met you," Obito reasoned. "One time won't hurt, will it?" Kakashi glanced up at his teacher and his heart sank when he saw Kazuma smiling a little in approval.

"YES!" Gai screamed, immediately falling into an exaggerated stance. At least, it _looked_ exaggerated to Kakashi. He sighed giving up and Obito pulled out a piece of string. He tied Kakashi's left arm behind his back and secured the knot.

"What did I do to deserve this?" Kakashi mumbled.

"You missed me with your kunai by a hair's width," Obito replied.

"That wasn't my fault," he muttered, walking forward with his right hand still in his pocket. Akira and his two other students moved beside Kazuma and Obito. They watched as the two boys clashed and took the fight a little distance away to enable them to move freely without crashing into anyone.

"Is it really okay?" Akira asked. "Gai has no chance against Kakashi."

"Still, it will give him training and motivation," Kazuma replied calmly, trailing the fight.

"It might also get him to socialise a bit more," Obito added with a little hope. Kazuma laughed softly at that.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Kakashi!" Gai shouted, as his rival kept evading his attacks. "If you're not going to get serious, you will lose!"

"Hai, hai," Kakashi mumbled, hoisting himself smoothly up onto a branch while a shower of shuriken struck the trunk of the tree. Gai landed on the branch under Kakashi and chased him up the tree. At the topmost branch, Kakashi dodged a few of Gai's blows and kunais, then pretending to lose his balance, he tumbled down through the branches, and as expected, Gai came leaping down as well. Kakashi withdrew a certain shuriken from his holster and threw it at Gai, who ducked under it.

Gai came down quickly at Kakashi with a fist readied to be hurled at him. Unfortunately for Gai, Kakashi raised a knee to block the blow, and his fall suddenly stopped. Confused, Gai quickly looked up to see a wire tied around his wrist that led up to the shuriken he had thrown. It was then that he realised he alone was dropping, quite quickly. Kakashi sighed as he lowered himself onto a thick branch and released the wire. Bringing his right hand behind his back, he closed his eyes and brought his two hands in a familiar position, activating a Genjutsu. Once he was through with that, he lightly jumped down onto the snow and walked back to the waiting group. Behind him, Gai was fighting an illusionary rival very fiercely. He stuck his free hand into his pocket again.

"That was a bit unfair," Obito commented.

Kakashi shrugged, "It's not like I agreed to go fair on him."

"Kai!"

Kakashi turned around with surprised as the others also looked quite shocked. He saw Gai sprinting towards him, the fire still burning brightly around him, a victorious smile plastered to his face.

"I've got you now, Kakashi my Eternal Ri – " Gai coughed sharply. He hadn't even seen Kakashi move, and yet here he was, his fist digging deep into his stomach.

"That title is getting annoying, Gai," Kakashi muttered. Gai stumbled forward, and Kakashi straightened, then struck the back of the Genin's neck, and Gai immediately fell into the snow, unconscious.

Obito whistled. The other two boys were still recovering from the shock of seeing Kakashi's speed. Akira shook his head and went to pick up the boy before he froze in the snow. Kazuma was simply watching Kakashi as he moved back towards them. He undid the knot by himself and gave the string back to Obito.

"Sorry," Kakashi said to Akira, who simply shook his head and soon left with his team.

"That was quite merciless," Obito commented.

"It will be nothing compared to what you'll experience this afternoon," Kakashi replied, casting a vengeful sideway glance at him. Obito grinned nervously, the edge of his mouth twitching a little.

"Kazuma-sensei, can we call it a day here?" Obito asked innocently. Kazuma smiled, as he usually did.

"No," he replied.

Obito gulped.

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Bit short, but hope that gives you a clearer idea of their recent training routines.

**Leilani** lol, don't worry, I'm fine at school. . As long as you _look_ like your following along, the teacher doesn't pick on your for answers. It's a skill I tell you! Hehe. Thanks for reviewing!  
**Magicians of the Yami:** lol. Yup, would be funny to try it out! I must be careful not to tell my friends about that technique…They might use it on me since I never go out with them to town or the movies or whatever…I prefer to stay at home and write. Thanks for the review!  
**HikuarOfArrow** oh that's true…I forgot all about that! Ah well, I'll leave that to your imagination! Thanks for reviewing!

Thanks a bunch everyone!  
-Fanyar-


	17. Chapter Seventeen

Why have I been saying "forehead protector"?! I just realised….o.O Did the subs say that? I might have been reading without me noticing or whatever…Anyways, what I mean (I think everyone knows though) is the metallic strip of a headband tied across their foreheads. And I'll start referring them as "Hitai ate"…Okey doke….

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****

**Chapter Seventeen: **

"Obito…" Kakashi mumbled, "Walk on your _own_!" He had Obito's arm draped over his shoulders while his friend leaned heavily on him. They were walking along the quiet path towards the grave yard.

"You aren't _blaming_ me, by any chance, are you, for being like this?" Obito asked in a dark, almost scary voice as he lifted his head a little and narrowed his eyes at his team mate. He had had a rough afternoon after their lunch break when it had been his turn to be blindfolded. The duration of his blindness had actually been much longer than Kakashi's, since Kazuma couldn't stop emphasizing how Obito replied too much on his eyes, especially now that he had his Sharingan.

Kakashi rolled his eyes and continued to climb up the stone stairs. The freshly fallen snow had covered all former footprints and now there were only a few. As soon as they got to Midori's grave, Kakashi let go of Obito and he fell to the ground with an annoyed sound.

"You don't expect me to carry you around for the rest of the day, do you?" Kakashi asked as he bent down to clear away some snow near the bottom of the stone. They had come on their one day off, to visit her on Christmas Day, but it was an unusually cold and snowy winter, and it had snowed during the night again. The village children were having a lot of fun, and the older people were kept busy shovelling the snow.

"Besides," continued Kakashi, "it was your fault for persuading Kazuma-sensei to allow that Gai to go against me. I just thought that you ought to have about the same amount of exercise I get."

Obito laughed suddenly, but it was out of sarcasm. "Oh sure, the 'same amount'?! You must be kidding me, Kakashi. That's why, I suppose, you only attacked lightly each time and made the training period longer?!"

"That was Kazuma-sensei's idea," he replied. Obito groaned and just sat down in the snow. Kakashi glanced down at him with a strange look on his face. "This is a graveyard, Obito," he decided to remind.

"Well, no one's around, and it's nothing formal," Obito said.

Suddenly a small bird soared down and landed exactly on top of Midori's stone and hopped around it a little. Obito looked up and then without a word, quickly got to his feet, brushing the snowflakes off his clothes.

"I wonder what it could be," Obito said with a slight frown as the bird took flight, and the two of them watched it fly away. Kakashi shrugged.

"He'll tell us when we get there, at least," he said.

The two of them quickly said an informal goodbye to Midori and then without wasting time walking along the streets, they seemingly disappeared. In the next few minutes, they had gone back down to the main areas of the village, and from there, headed towards the Hokage's building using the rooftops. Obito landed on the floor of the rooftop just outside the entrance, where they had first been introduced to Jiraiya. Kakashi stopped on the railing and balanced there a moment, in a somewhat relaxed crouch position. As soon as they arrived, Kazuma walked out of the door and beckoned them inside. Kakashi dropped down and walked inside with Obito.

It was rare that they would have to come to the Hokage's office. Only once or twice were the two of them in there, and that had only been for very serious, important and short exchange of words. The halls were rather empty, but a lot warmer, which made their cheeks flush with colour after the long hours spent outside. Kakashi glanced at their teacher, and instead of the usually calm and relaxed expression, he found Kazuma frowning a little and looking strangely serious. He didn't say anything, partly for that reason, and Obito seemed to have noticed as well and kept his silence too.

Once they reached the room, they found the door open, but Kazuma knocked lightly anyways. The Third answered and the three of them entered to find the aged man sitting behind his large desk with his elbows on the surface, hands laced together in front of his face. As they came in, he looked up and lowered his hands a little. Kazuma stepped back half a stride and stood still. Obito and Kakashi waited for their leader to speak. The Third simply stared at them for a while, and the two didn't avoid his eyes. They weren't being ignorant or disrespectful, but they had no reason to look away with shame, embarrassment or fear. Finally the Hokage lowered his arms completely and rested them on the desk and sighed, closing his eyes for a second.

"Kakashi, Obito," he began in a quiet, deep voice, "I have a mission for you to do, though one might call it more of a desperate favour." He paused, but the two Chuunin didn't say anything, so he went on. "It has been eight years since Tsunade has left the village. We are about to enter, hopefully the last stage of this horrid war, but I have bad feelings that it will be a tough ending, for all the hidden villages. I want you to go and look for Tsunade and bring her back before spring, when I guess everything will start moving again."

Obito stopped playing around with the piece of long stick in his mouth and took it out, keeping it between his thumb and index finger. Kakashi frowned a little at the peculiar mission. Not only had they not had missions for the past months, the first one given to them was this?

"There have been ANBU members searching for her ever since she left, Hokage-sama," Obito said, the joking, playing air completely blown away. "What has led you to think that we, Chuunin, not to mention children, could possibly find her?"

The Third nodded once, very slowly, though his eyes never left the two. No matter their exterior looks, the two were certainly a head or two higher than the rest of the shinobi their age. It was very seldom that children really admitted that they were children. If the situation wasn't as bad as it was, he may have smiled at them, but his expression did not change.

"Once again, I want to rely on the fact that you are children," he replied. "It is certainly easier than having the ANBU, Jiraiya or Orochimaru trying to track her down. She would be expecting them to, and she would less expect children. And out of the youngsters of our village, you two are the most experienced and skilled."

"Even if, by any chance, we manage to find Tsunade-sama, there is nothing we will be able to do to persuade her to come back," Kakashi said.

"That is indeed true," the Third replied. "Nothing anybody says may be able to have her come back. But, I have a letter that I want you to give to her, if you find her." He picked up a small scroll that lay beside him amongst all the other papers and scrolls. "So let me reword the mission: it is for you to find Tsunade before spring and give her the scroll."

"And what about Kazuma-sensei?" he asked, glancing over at their teacher. "Will he come with us?"

"No, I'm afraid not," the Hokage said, "You two will be going alone. But he will meet up with you once in a while to see that you are doing all right."

Kakashi and Obito glanced at each other by turning their head a little, but they were both thinking along the same lines. Even though the Hokage hadn't stated this was an official mission assigned to them, with no further questions, but declining was not an option. No matter what mission it was, they were obliged to accept it.

"We understand," Obito said after a small pause. "We will accept this mission."

Relief seemed to pass over the Hokage's face for a moment, and some of the tension drained away, as if a small weight was lifted from his shoulders. His eyes were less hard and solemn, and he shifted in his seat.

"I will ask one of the ANBU who were formally on this task to give you all the information they have," he said. "I will have him meet you in the classroom 3-A in the ninja academy, at around five tomorrow afternoon." The two nodded, though Kakashi wondered why it was the ninja academy. "Once you feel you are ready, you may leave the village. If you need anything before or after you leave, you may feel free to contact me."

Obito and Kakashi nodded. As the Hokage didn't seem to have anything else to say, they turned around and headed towards the door. When they were about to leave, however, the Third said, "Thank you." The two paused in the doorway and simply bowed before closing the door behind them. They followed their teacher outside again.

"Sensei?" Obito said quietly, and questioningly.

"Yes?"

"Are you unhappy about the mission?" Kakashi asked, sliding his hands into his pockets again as they left the building and re-entered the cold. Kazuma hesitated. To be truthful, he had had a small disagreement with the Hokage about giving the two the mission, but in the end, there had been nothing he could have done or said.

"Even if I was, the mission was presented to you," he replied. "It was not my part to show my opinions." He turned around to face them, and at last, his face broke into its usual gentle, smile. "Still, I'm not completely unhappy. I'm certainly happy about your progress." His smile grew a little bigger and he ruffled both their hairs, much to their mild annoyance. "Tell me once you know when you're leaving," he said, and then they parted.

Kakashi and Obito went down to the streets using the stairs this time, and Obito stuck his stick back into his mouth. It was already getting dark and the lights were coming on in the streets and in the houses. As they were walking down the busy streets, Obito sighed.

"You know how troublesome this mission is going to get?" he muttered quietly, as if talking to himself.

"Unfortunately, yes," Kakashi replied, then after a pause added, "If we ever get to the stage of _'getting'_ somewhere."

"I sure hope the ANBU have at least some up to date information. Otherwise it's going to be a wild goose chase all over the Five Countries." Obito made a strange choking noise. "I don't even want to start thinking about that."

Obito left down a street to head home and Kakashi walked alone down the streets, glancing once in a while at the windows of some shops as he went. He didn't stop by anywhere though, and went straight to his apartment. No one was in the corridors, as usual, and everything in the building seemed silent. He closed the door quietly behind him and took an uninterested look around his small room. He went to sit down on the edge of the bed and removed his ninja tools and vest. As he looked up to unfastening his shuriken holster, a grey scarf hung over the back of his chair caught his attention. He smiled slightly under his mask as he remembered his evening with Obito's family.

(Flashback)

Kakashi stood just outside the entrance of Obito's house, the light from inside leaking out through the open doors. Everyone was standing inside, and Kakashi was thanking them for the evening. It was snowing, the flakes large and damp, immediately sticking to the ground and layering quickly. He turned to leave, when Obito called him back.

"Kakashi, wait!" he said, and his friend turned around with a curious look. "Here." He held out a cleanly wrapped parcel with a smile. Kakashi glanced at it, a confused look crossing his face. "Christmas present, genius," Obito said.

"It's okay, the dinner's been a present enough," Kakashi replied.

"Oh just take it, Kakashi-kun," Obito's older sister said with a chuckle at the boy's modesty.

"We can't let you be in the cold without something to keep you warm," their mother added.   
Kakashi hesitated, but Obito threw it over to him, and he had no choice but to catch it. It was light and soft.

"It's a present from all of us, Kakashi," their father said. "Go ahead and open it."

Kakashi, still looking slightly uncomfortable at been given a gift, carefully ripped the tape and opened up the wrapping paper. Inside, he found a soft, hand knitted, grey scarf. At first, he had been quite surprised, and couldn't say anything, so he simply stared at it for a while. He had never really worn scarves in his life, much less gotten one from anyone. Midori and Obito had used to give him small gifts each year, but nothing like this. Before he knew it, Obito's mother had taken the scarf from his hands and wrapped it around his neck, tucking it under his open coat. She smiled softly, and then pulled him into a gentle hug.

Kakashi was more than startled, and he also felt something else. Something he hadn't felt for so many years. He couldn't place his finger on it at first, but slowly, it came back to him. The feeling of being loved and being hugged. He blushed. Obito was quick to notice this, despite the dark and immediately laughed.

"Kakashi's blushing!" he announced, prodding his friend's red cheeks, though they were half covered by his mask. Kakashi half glared at Obito, but the colour simply kept rising.

"Who care's if he's blushing," Obito's sister said, hitting him on the head. "Leave him alone." Obito let out a small, annoyed sound and while nursing his head, turned and lunged at his sister. Everyone laughed well naturedly.

(End Flashback)

Kakashi got up from the bed and headed to the bathroom to take a shower. It was refreshing after the hours of training, and he stood under the water longer than usual, his mind wondering to their next mission and how they would go about trying to accomplish it. The more he thought about it, the more he realised it was going to be a big problem.

_Oh don't be so negative about it! There's got to be_ some _information we can follow!_

Kakashi stiffened and quickly turned the water cold on. He shuddered at the sudden change of temperature and goose bumps rose on his skin, but it was enough to have Midori's voice disappear. He would sometimes hear her, or imagine her saying something. Kakashi tilted his head back, the water stinging his eyes and blurring his vision. His silver hair clung to his neck dripping the freezing water, but he kept staring at the shower head.

Once he cleared his thoughts, he turned the water off and stepped out of the shower and dried himself. He was careful to keep his thoughts either blank or on some technique he wanted to learn. After putting on fresh clothes, Kakashi sat back down on his bed, his elbows resting on his knees and his head hanging low, close to them. His damp hair fell around his face, shadowing his eyes. He hadn't bothered to turn on the lights, though it was getting pretty dark outside. Despite his efforts, his mind drifted to questions. Why couldn't he get over Midori's death? Why did he have to be plagued by bad memories?

_There was nothing I could have done. It was three months ago. I have to keep going without focusing so much on the past. Sorry Midori. _

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Kazuma watched his student through the window from the roof of the opposite building. He sighed and shifted his gaze from Kakashi to the sky. It would snow again, but that hardly mattered to him. At the moment, his mind was full. He had taught and been around Kakashi and Obito for about four years, almost everyday. He knew that Kakashi was being troubled by Midori's death, and so was Obito. Who could blame them? They were ten years old. Kakashi was called, and was expected to continue being the ninja prodigy. No one saw him as who he really should have been, and who he really is. They didn't see him as a child with no parents. They only saw the genius. Obito was an extremely talented boy, and from the Uchiha clan, the most powerful clan in Konoha. Though he hadn't been very outstanding at first, the villagers started to notice him when rumours spread about him using the Sharingan at such a young age and being almost equal to the prodigy Kakashi.

Kazuma sighed again, looked back to see Kakashi laying on his back with his eyes closed. He had his doubts about this mission, and he couldn't fully understand why the Hokage was giving it to them. But he hoped it might take their minds off Midori.

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Waaaaaaaaah!!!! I'm so sorry it's sooooo late!!!! . School's been awful and stressing this week, I just didn't have the time!

**Leilani** yup yup, Gai's very determined. . Glad you liked it! Itsumo arigatou! (huggles)  
**HikaruOfArrow** AH! I'm soo sorry!!! I'll be very careful from now on! Thanks for reviewing!!  
**sUmbOdi** No worries, I was caught up in homework as well this week. I understand! . Thanks for the review! Glad to know you have one more word in your Japanese vocab list!  
**Patty**: Heh yeah. If I do a sequel (which I probably will if everyone agrees) I'll probably write another of their matches to see how much Gai's improved. Thanks for the review!  
**Chaotic Demon:** Aw…(hands a tissue) Yeah, I hate it when I'm reading something really sad and people are there giving you a weird look. ¬.¬ Thanks for the review though!  
**Rurikat** Really? We're only meant to laugh so many times? … Hmm….lol. Anyways, glad you like and thanks for reviewing!

**_EVERYONE:_** Thanks a whole bunch! You won't believe how much your reviews help me keep going! You guys are so great!!

Thanks for reading!

-Fanyar-


	18. Chapter Eighteen

**Chapter Eighteen: **

"Very familiar, isn't it?" Obito said, as he and Kakashi stopped just outside the entrance of the Ninja Academy. "Seems like a lifetime ago that we walked in and out of here on a daily basis."

"Yeah," Kakashi mumbled, and they walked inside, climbing the stairs to the third floor. All at once, the doors to the classrooms banged open and students ran out noisily. It was quite strange for the two, since the children were only a bit younger than they were, their age, or even a bit older. As soon as the others spotted the pair, who had just gotten to the top of the second flight of stairs, they froze. Kakashi and Obito glanced at them questioningly, feeling more than a bit uneasy under their wide eyed stares. What came next was worse: they all started exclaiming and shouting at once, crowding in on the two.

"Hey, are you Chuunin?"

"How old are you?!"

"I've heard about you!"

"The genius, Kakashi."

"Uchiha Obito!"

"You guys graduated five years ago, right?"

"What are you doing here?!"

Kakashi and Obito, both looking slightly alarmed, glanced at each other uncertainly, backing up against the wall.

"Uh, we need to get going," Obito said. "We need to meet someone soon."

"Wait! Who are you meeting?"

"Are you doing cool missions?"

"What do we do now?" Kakashi muttered, turning his head a little to glance at Obito.

"I have no idea," he replied.

"What's all the chaos about?" a sudden voice shouted over the rest. Kakashi looked up over the heads to see the academy teacher walking over towards them. She raised her eyebrow in curiosity when she saw the two. Obito grimaced, biting his lower lip when he saw her. Rio Mitsuki, the Jounin academy teacher, who had taught Kakashi and Obito as well. She had especially liked to pick on Obito.

"Mitsuki sensei! It's Kakashi and Obito!" some of the students said.

"I can see that," she said, making her way over to them. "They aren't museum items, stop staring at them like idiots. Now go home! Practice the Henge at home tomorrow, since you all know I won't be here. Now go on!" She brushed them away, sending them quickly down the stairs. Then she turned on her two former students. She smirked. Obito stepped behind Kakashi.

"So, I've heard about you two," Mitsuki said. "How's it going?"

"Good, thank you, sensei," Kakashi replied politely.

"Still as strict as a demon," Obito mumbled.

"What was that, Obi-chan? Sorry I couldn't catch it all," she said with a bright grin. Obito growled quietly at the shortened version of his name. Mitsuki laughed, but as she looked between the two, her face suddenly became solemn and the laughter died from her eyes.

"I heard from Kazuma about Midori," she said quietly. "Sorry to hear about that." Obito looked away and stopped acting stupid. Kakashi closed his eyes for a moment, opening them only when he felt a hand on his head. He looked back up to find Mitsuki's hand on his head, her other on Obito's head. She smiled gently. "That's more the reason for you two to stick well close to each other. Understood?"

"Hai," they replied together, and Mitsuki smiled broadly again. She straightened.

"Well then, good luck, both of you." She turned to head back to her classroom to tidy up. "Have any missions?" she asked. Kakashi nodded.

"We're to give Tsunade-sama something," Obito replied in a matter of fact voice dripping with sarcasm. Mitsuki choked and her composure crumbled for a moment. She whirled around, a look of disbelief etched clearly on her face.

"You're kidding."

"We aren't," Kakashi said.

She whistled in bewilderment and amazement. "Well, the word's certainly: good luck. I was on that mission for a short period of time once, we got no where. Tsunade-sama really covered her tracks well."

"Thanks for the encouragement, Mitsuki-sensei," Obito grumbled. She laughed.

"I'm sure you'll be able to find something," she said, turning around again and walking back to her room. She waved her hand behind at them, then disappeared through the door. With the corridors now empty again, the two made their way into the classroom 3-A. It seemed like a spare room for the moment, since so many classes were being cancelled daily due to the teachers having to have to go on mission. Obito hopped onto the desk on the first row, and Kakashi stood beside him, leaning on the edge of the desk, his hands in his pockets.

They didn't wait long. Obito and Kakashi turned to the window when they heard someone drop down and open the window from outside. For a moment, the cold air drafted in, but the ANBU quickly drew it closed.

"Shiranui-san," Obito said with mild surprise. Renji smiled, walking over to them. They were a bit more surprised that he was still wearing his non-sleeve ANBU uniform with nothing over it to keep him warm. "Aren't you cold?" he asked.

"Not really," he replied. "They keep up warm enough. Anyways." He sat down on the desk across the middle isle from them and pulled out a few scrolls and opened both of them. "Just your luck to get this mission, eh?"

"Yup," Obito said, turning around to face Renji and crossing his legs.

"Well, there isn't much we can give you," Renji said, looking briefly over the scrolls. "It wasn't known that Tsunade-sama had left the village until about a week after her departure. Hokage-sama was reluctant to send out pursuers, but Jiraiya-sama offered to go look for her, just in case. He came back nearly a month later, with hardly any information. We know that she headed towards Mist Country, but she seemed to be moving quickly and at random. Jiraiya-sama chased her to the far end of the country, but then lost her tracks and after searching the best he could, he had no choice but to come back. Then there was a big battle on the borders of the Sand and Rock country, and most of our forces were sent there, and for a while, Tsunade-sama was forced to be removed from our minds. Nearly half a year later, the Hokage-sama assigned a small group of Jounin to go look for her again, but they came back with absolutely nothing. About two years after her disappearance, she was seen in the Sand country, but quickly got away from us. Since then, she's been seen or rumoured to be seen in all Five Countries, and at times, even Orochimaru-sama and Jiraiya-sama have been after her, but no one has been able to talk with her so far."

"Where was she last seen?" Kakashi asked.

"Um…in a village in the north-west of the Rock Country," he replied. "That was two months ago."

"Is there any other information more recent?" Obito asked.

Renji shook his head. Obito sighed and slumped forward.

"You're lucky you have information that recent," Renji said with a laugh. "When I was assigned to this mission, the most up to date information was over half a year old." Obito groaned. "Well, I'll leave these with you," Renji continued, rolling up the scrolls and tossing them lightly to the two Chuunins. He got off the desk and walked over to the windows. "I'll wish you the best of luck. Honestly. I suggest you come back to Konoha once in a while, instead of traveling all the time."

"Thank you, Shiranui-san," Kakashi said.

"Not a problem," he replied, opening the window and lightly jumping up to the window sill. "Oh, and, if you happen to see my little brother, Genma, tell him to come find me, will you?"

"Genma?" Obito asked with a slight frown.

"Yeah. He's about three years older than you, and he's wearing a bandana with his Hitai-ate tied the wrong way round. He's been quite reckless these days, itching to see more action than he needs to. He seems frustrated at still being a Genin after failing the Chuunin Exam twice."

"There hasn't been an Exam for a while though," Obito pointed out.

"Exactly my point," Renji answered. "The last one was a year ago, and he was mad that they haven't had one since, when there should have been two already." He shrugged. "The idiot's going to get into serious trouble if he keeps being so reckless and our parents can't handle him. I've been trying to look for him all day, but I haven't found him yet."

"We'll tell him if we find him," Kakashi said.

"Thanks," Renji said with a grin, then quickly left.

"An older brother who's an ANBU, and the young brother who's a Genin?" Obito mused. "Doesn't really fit, does it?"

"I wouldn't be talking, Obito," Kakashi said, gathering up the scrolls and pocketing them.

"What's that meant to mean?"

"Your sister got into ANBU and the age difference is eight years?" Kakashi stated.

"At least I became a Chuunin at eight."

"And the age difference of Shiranui-san and his little brother is about twelve?" Kakashi continued, ignoring Obito for the moment.

"Oh shut up, Kakashi," Obito snapped.

"Just stating the facts."

"Whatever." He lunged at Kakashi, and they jumped around the room for a while before they found the window and took the fight outside. Despite being on the third floor, they got down without any problems and were quickly on the rooftops of the village, Obito still doing most of the attacking.

"I don't think Kazuma-sensei gives you enough exercise during the day," Kakashi said as he leaned back, avoiding a kick.

"Or Kakashi-kun is getting more talkative," Obito returned, feigning two attacks, then driving his knee up.

"Not talkative, Obi-chan, just telling you not to say rude things." Kakashi used the knee as the center of his flip over Obito, and ran over the roofs.

"Oh? Not insulting me at the same time are you?" He said, landing in front of his friend with a grin. Kakashi stopped and looked back and forth.

"Kage bunshin?" he muttered. "When did you learn that?"

Obito laughed. "I haven't seen you performing the technique for five years and thought of nothing about it, you know." They both attacked at once and Kakashi was forced to take a high jump vertically upwards. He landed down in the streets, almost directly on a boy.

"Watch it kid!" the boy shouted angrily. Kakashi leapt forward to get away from Obito, but glanced back.

"Sorry – " Kakashi stopped suddenly, and opened his mouth to say something, when Obito fell onto him. They both fell onto the wet ground.

"Why'd you stop so suddenly?!" Obito grumbled. Kakashi pushed him off and got up quickly to avoid getting wet.

"Shiranui Genma," he said. "That's why."

"Genma? Where?" Obito asked, getting to his feet as well. Kakashi nodded back at the boy wearing the Hitai-ate the wrong way round on his head. He stood watching the two with an oddly irritated look.

"Genma-san, your brother wants you to find him," Obito said.

"Who are you?"

"Obito, and this here's Kakashi."

"And how do you know my brother?"

"We just met him," he replied. "Anyways, we have to go! Bye!" He grabbed Kakashi and ran.

"Hey wait!" Genma shouted, suddenly noticing their vests. But they were already gone. "You're Chuunins?!" he whispered.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Good thing we got away quickly," Obito muttered as they watched Genma slam his fist into the ground, then speed away, pushing people out of his way. Kakashi shrugged. They dropped down into an alley and took smaller, less crowded streets to head back to their homes.

"When should we leave?" Kakashi asked.

"Well, you reckon we can get any information here?" Obito asked in turn.

"No," he replied.

"Then let's get out of here as quickly as possible. We only have until spring."

"Then we head to the Rock Country?" Kakashi suggested.

"Suppose so. That's the only clue we have so far, no matter how old it is."

"Let's leave tomorrow at noon then," Kakashi said.

"Sounds good to me," Obito replied. "We'll find Kazuma-sensei in the morning. I'll see you then!"

Once Kakashi got back to his apartment, he took a quick shower, ate a small meal, then stayed up reading for a while before going to sleep.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

At noon the next day, Obito and Kakashi stood at the North Gate with Kazuma. Both their Hitai-ate were in their bags, along with their full shuriken holsters and other equipment. Once again, they were dressed liked normal children.

"I'll keep in touch with you somehow," Kazuma said. "Take care."

"Hai," Obito responded. Kakashi nodded, then they turned and headed towards the Rock Country.

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Hmm…I might be running low on muse…¬.¬ A question for **everyone**, if you're kind enough to answer: is it getting boring? I just need to know…I have full intentions of continuing, but if most answers are 'yes' then I need to take some time to actually plan the rest of the story…Anyways…

**Leilani:** lol yeah, I remember how it used to be. . I'm so glad people are reviewing, it makes me so happy! Especially since it's the first time a story's become so successful. But you have my special thanks, you know. Honestly. (hugs very tightly)  
**HikaruOfArrow:** hehe, thanks a big bunch! Hope you'll continue to like it!  
**Takeru:** Give me? Lol, nope! Not me and not now. Don't worry, school's trying to get in the way, but I'll kick it back out. Muahaha. Oh, yeah, we usually don't open presents without asking or being asked to…But I suppose it's not rude if you open it after being asked to (in Kakashi's case) or if you ask them for approval of opening the present. Nice question, got me thinking at first. ; p And thanks for reviewing!  
**Rurikat:** lmao! Kazuma the stalker! Yeah, that'll be weird. Thanks! It's all your encouraging words that's more important than the actual review count. I'd love to hear your opinions!  
**MP:** hehe, well I left the beating part for your imagination, but I gave you the end results. Poor Obito… Thanks for your review!!

Thanks so much for reading everyone!  
-Fanyar-


	19. Chapter Nineteen

**Chapter Nineteen: **

Kakashi and Obito dropped onto large boulders that lined the side of a wide river in a small valley. They were already in the Rock Country, and their route had automatically taken them here. Obito grinned. Kakashi slipped his hands into his pockets and looked around.

"Remember this place?" Obito asked.

"How can I not?" Kakashi replied. They had fought the three Mist ninjas there, on their way of escorting Gamashi Kengou to his town. It had been one of their early serious fights with other shinobi, and it seemed such a long time ago.

"I wonder if we'll see them again," Obito mused.

"Maybe," Kakashi said. "Whether it be as friends or foes."

Obito glanced up at the grey sky tinged with some red. "It'll be night soon. Should we drop by and visit Kengou-san?" Kakashi considered it for a moment, then shrugged.

"I suggest we see how well guarded the town is first," he said.

"Good idea."

The two leapt away and Obito led the way to the town, since Kakashi had only travelled back on that route. It wasn't long, and they saw the town in almost less than an hour. They slowed down to a walk a while before they reached the first buildings and took out their coats to look more natural in the cold weather. The grounds were covered in a thick layer of snow, especially since the country was mostly flat lands and further north than Konoha.

Most of the people seemed to have already gone inside, the lights pouring out into the dark streets from the windows. Kakashi and Obito did a quick round of a part of the town, going through small streets and alleys. They didn't find any shinobi and no one looking like guards, so they made their way to the Gamashi house.

Things hadn't changed much, and most of the buildings were exactly how they had remembered them to be. So it was easy for them to find their way to the house. Though he didn't say anything, Kakashi was somewhat reluctant. It brought back memories and he felt that it was perhaps rude to just barge in.

"I just want to ask if Misa came back once," Obito said quietly as they stood in the shadows between two houses across the street from their destination. Kakashi looked at his friend with a slight surprised expression. Obito's eyes were a little distant and held a look far deeper than his usual light. Kakashi looked away and nodded, understanding Obito's reason now, for wanting to see them.

"It _was_ Midori's wish," Kakashi added.

Obito smiled slightly and they moved out of the shadows and went to the entrance. Obito knocked once, and they waited. They soon heard footsteps approaching from the other side of the door, and then someone slid it open. They were both shocked to see who it was, as was the person who opened the door. For a moment, all three of them stared at each other with wide eyes.

"Misa-chan? Who is it?" Nanami called, walking to the entrance wiping her hands on a cooking apron. She froze when she saw the two boys. Misa stirred first, starting to look uncomfortable and dropped her gaze away from them. She feared that they would blame her for Midori's death, and she felt very guilty since she did blame herself. She was shocked, therefore, when they smiled.

"I'm glad you came back, Misa," Obito said. "We just dropped by to see if you had."

"Kakashi-kun! Obito-kun!" Nanami said with a delightful smile.

"Nani?!" They heard the shout from the kitchen and a second later, Kengou rushed to the entrance.

"Nanami-san, Kengou-san, how are you?" Kakashi asked.

"We're fine, we're fine, but what about you?" Kengou asked, in a tone that told the two Chuunins that they had heard about Midori.

"We're doing well, thank you," Obito replied, then glanced at Misa who was still looking away. "What's wrong?"

"I…" Her fingers played nervously with the hem of her shirt, her eyes darting everywhere except the two boys in front of her. "I'm sorry…It's my fault that Midori-san – " She stopped when she felt Obito's hand land gently on her shoulder. Out of reflex, she looked straight up into his eyes. He was smiling softly.

"No it's not," he said.

"But - !" Misa started.

"Midori died protecting you out of her own free will," Kakashi said. "She'll be happy that you're safe."

"Don't blame yourself," Obito added. Kengou and Nanami stood silently behind their daughter, as they could only watch. Misa looked searchingly at both Obito and Kakashi and found no trace of blame or anger. All she found was their kind forgiveness and understanding. She saw more hidden feelings of pain and grief on their part, but they were held back firmly and hardly visible. She barely noticed the tears stinging her eyes and blurring her vision, but she didn't try and stop them. She couldn't help them when she looked at the two boys. They seemed quite startled when she began to cry silently, but she quickly covered her eyes with her hands and attempted to wipe the tears away.

"How?" she mumbled quietly. "How can you be so strong?" _and yet so forgiving to me? I deserve your wrath, but all you give me is your forgiveness._ "Why don't you blame me to ease your pain?"

"Because," Obito said quietly, "Midori wouldn't have wanted that." Misa lowered her hands a little to look at Obito again.

"And because it isn't your fault," Kakashi said.

"And lastly, it's because that's the life of a shinobi," Obito said. "The life we chose."

Misa's eyes widened, the last of her tears trailing down her cheeks. She simply stared at Obito and Kakashi, her eyes switching between them. She lowered her gaze a little then, and nodded. After a silent moment, she smiled at them gratefully, wiping the dampness from her eyes.

"Thank you," she said. "I wonder what it is about you and Midori-san. You remind me of the importance of my decisions." Obito grinned.

"Well, we'll get going then," Kakashi said, and took a step back from the front door, Obito following suit.

"Wait!" Kengou shouted, and it made the two boys turn around. "It's late and it's already starting to snow. At least spend the night here." Kakashi and Obito swapped hesitant glances.

"Just one night?" Misa asked suddenly. "I want to talk to you."

"Please, stay," Nanami added, stepping down to the entrance and placing her hands on either side of her daughter's shoulders. Kakashi and Obito seemingly had no choice.

After Kakashi and Obito had been offered something to eat and drink, and the five of them had talked about general things for a while, Kengou and Nanami left to prepare their guests' room, then left for the three of them talk together. The two boys waited for Misa to start.

"I left my parents at the young age because I wanted the power to protect them," she finally said after a few silent moments. "I knew about the war between the ninjas, and figured if I could become one of them, I might be able to stop the war and so help the town and my parents. I didn't know how hard it would be, but once I got there, there was no turning back. I didn't dislike training to become a shinobi, it was fun and everyone was nice to me. I didn't think about my parents and to become stronger and follow the shinobi sayings, I started to become cold and ruthless. Kakyou and Nagi tried to get through to me, but I wouldn't listen to them. After we retreated from our lost battle, I asked my Jounin teacher to allow me a small break. He agreed, and even let me come back and forth a number of times over the last few months.

"But I've been wondering, if I really should have become a shinobi. I had had no doubts until the day we saw you guys. It wasn't our first battle, but it was the first time I had seen ninjas our age fight like you two did after Midori was killed. It made me afraid and understand the true meaning of being a ninja." She suddenly laughed mirthlessly. "I've actually been slacking for the past few months. Lucky we're getting a break at the moment, and our teacher seems understanding, for now. It's just…" She dropped her face into her hands and covered her eyes. "I don't know what to do."

Almost a minute went by in silence, and Misa didn't move. Obito and Kakashi were staring at the table or their hands resting on it. A water droplet dripped from the kitchen sink, but no one took notice. It was very quiet; though the snow kept falling outside, there was no wind. Finally Obito stirred and Kakashi lifted his eyes to the girl sitting across the table from them.

"What are your future dreams?" Obito asked. His voice was quiet, but it sounded loud in the still silence.

Misa looked up at him, frowning at the question. Then she averted her gaze again and mumbled, "I don't know."

"What were your dreams?" Kakashi corrected. "Why did you leave to become a ninja in the first place?"

"To become stronger and have the power to protect those I love." The word slipped past her lips before she even had the time to think about the question.

"I don't see what you're holding back on," Obito said with a small grin. "Don't you want to achieve what you set out to do?"

"What I…set out to do?" Misa repeated quietly, slowly raising her eyes. Obito nodded.

"Killing isn't the only thing a shinobi can do," Kakashi said. "It's a time of war now, but it will eventually end. Then you can see what other potentials you hold and follow a path that you believe in."

"We can't escape from being a shinobi once we decide we're going to follow that path," Obito said. "But we can choose which route to take once we are ninjas. To pursue our dreams and follow our Nindou."

Misa stared at them for a while, thinking over what they had said. Then slowly, a small smile began to spread on her face. "I think I understand now," she said. The darkness lifted from her eyes and she felt less oppressed. "I'll try my best. Nindou, huh…I had completely forgotten about hat. No matter how tough it is, I'll keep going. That's my ninja way. Arigatou, Obito, Kakashi." Her eyes curved up into a bright smile. Obito grinned, finally being able to compare Misa to the girl he had seen in the photo years ago. In fact, as he turned around, he saw it still hanging on the wall.

"By the way, what kind of a mission brings you into enemy lands?" Misa asked.

"We're looking for someone," Obito replied, "Who we probably won't find."

"Who is it?"

"Tsunade-sama," he replied. He fished around in his pocket and withdrew a photo of a woman with long blond hair tied in pigtails. He slid it across the table and Misa took a look. Suddenly, she frowned.

"This woman…" she muttered.

"You know her?" Kakashi asked.

"Well, _know_ isn't the word for it, but I've seen her," Misa replied. Obito and Kakashi waited for her to continue. She didn't take her eyes off the picture. "She came to our village about two weeks ago."

"To Iwagakure?" Obito asked with a surprised expression.

Misa nodded. "She just came one day, I saw her walking in. They stopped her at the entrance, but she said she was only a gambler travelling the countries. They let her in eventually, and a few days later, we heard rumours about trouble in one of the bars. I don't know exactly what happened, but it caused quite a lot of trouble. They say that the woman fled from the village but groups of shinobi were dispatched to assassinate her."

"Assassinate her?" Obito asked with mild disbelief. "Did she do something that bad?" Misa shrugged.

"But we have to get there quickly," Kakashi said. "Before she has enough time to get far away again."

"I'll show you the way," Misa said with a grin. "It'll be faster than going along the road."

"Really? Thanks Misa," Obito said gratefully.

"It's the least I can do."

"But if they catch you helping enemies, you'll get into trouble," Kakashi said. "We were at the battle with the Rock ninjas. If they recognised us…"

Misa waved the problem away, "I'll lead you to the mountains just above the village, and then I'll go see what information I can get. Then I'll get back to you with whatever I have. They won't see you, and if you want to be very safe, then you can perform the _henge_ when we get near the village. It's not so far from here with the route I use. About a day and a half."

"Are you sure?" Obito asked.

"Certainly," she replied, her grin confident. Obito returned it after a moment, and Kakashi nodded. "Great. Then we'll leave tomorrow morning, like at nine or something like that." A mocking grin danced in her eyes. "Should I wake you up?"

Obito laughed. "If Midori were here, then she'd need it, but we'll be fine."

Misa paused when she heard him talking so lightly about Midori, but she quickly covered it up. She pouted in mock disappointed and stuck her nose into the air and sniffed a few times. "Fine. I'll come with the water in the morning." The playful mask dropped quickly and casting a sideways glance at the two boys, she winked. Hopping off her chair, she headed to the hallway leading upstairs.

"See you in the morning!" she called over her shoulder. "Seems like you know your way around the house, so I guess you can manage?"

"Don't worry about us," Obito replied. Misa smiled brightly at them again, then disappeared down the dim hallway. Kakashi turned around in his seat and looked at the window. Snow was piled on the sides and he could see the white flakes continue to fall, quite clearly against the black background.

"Looks like this mission's going to be easier than we thought," Obito said, getting down from his chair and stretching his arms.

"What are you talking about?" Kakashi responded, "Tsunade-sama apparently left Iwagakure about two weeks ago. Given two weeks, she could have gone anywhere."

Obito finished yawning, then suddenly grabbed Kakashi in a choke hold and dug his knuckles into his friend's head. "You're always so pessimistic! Brighten up a little, Kakashi!"

"Obi…to!" Kakashi stuttered, being dragged from his chair. "Will you cut it out!?"

"Sorry, did you say something?" Obito asked innocently, his knuckling Kakashi. "I couldn't hear you."

Kakashi didn't bother answering. Instead, he twisted around and the two of them wrestled on the floor for a little while, though careful not to break anything. Finally Obito came up on top of Kakashi and pinned both his arms behind him on his back. He held both Kakashi's wrists firmly down with on hand and placed the tip of his other hand against his friend's neck, where he would have had a kunai, were they in a real fight. Kakashi lay still now, and turned his head a little to see Obito grinning triumphantly.

"I win today," he said.

"You wish you did," Kakashi corrected. Obito frowned, and Kakashi shifted his head back a little and Obito froze as he felt something close in around his neck. He glanced down and noticed the light shining off a thin wire encircling his neck, looped behind a small hook fixed firmly under the kitchen sink and the end of it disappeared under Kakashi's mask. Obito assumed Kakashi was holding it between his teeth.

"_That_ isn't fair," Obito grumbled as he let go of Kakashi's wrists and untangled himself from the wire. He took his weight off his friend and hoisted himself up onto a chair. Kakashi shrugged and stood up as well, brushing off his clothes.

"Nothings fair in a fight," he countered after he had pulled the end of the wire out from beneath the mask. "And it's not like you set out certain rules."

Obito rolled his eyes, but grinned nonetheless. "No one but a genius would have been able to pull that one out. Did you purposefully bring us over to the sink?"

Kakashi shrugged and shook his head. "Could have been anything." He rolled up the wire and put it away. Obito shook his head slowly, still wondering how Kakashi could have managed getting the wire deftly around his neck, around the hook _and_ into his mouth under the mask. He gave up trying though as he yawned again.

"I guess we should get to bed or Misa's really going to get the water on us," he said, as he stood up.

"You, not us," Kakashi replied.

Obito looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Your mouth is getting sharper every time you open it."

"Not as much as yours is," Kakashi said.

Obito just laughed.

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Sorry for the wait everyone!

Translations:  
Nindou: ninja way or moral  
Arigatou: (I hope you all know) thank you  
Iwagakure: Hidden Rock

**Leilani** thanks for the reassurance! I'm not sure if I'll get it to Kakashi's present, but I'll go as far as my imagination goes! (which is into his ANBU years, mind you. ) I should be rereading all my chapters, to make sure there aren't any grammatical/spelling mistakes, but I'm often too lazy to do it…. Thanks again!  
**HikaruOfArrow** Thank you too! Yeah, I try to avoid most fights, partly because they're so hard to describe and get the point across…Hehe, thanks for the review, I really appreciate it!  
**sUmbOdi** Glad you're enjoying the fic! Hmm…as I said above to Leilani, I'm not sure how far it'll go…but I've got a sequel planned for Kakashi's ANBU experience. Please read on to see they're safe! . Thanks so much for the reviews!!  
**Takeru** lol! Grades came out on Monday…They were fine! Yay! Meaning I can spend this much time on the stories and still get decent grades! Hohoho, yes, Sharingan will come up! Thanks for reviewing!  
**Rurikat** yeah, I thought about the reactions of the kids' in reality and fixed it up with Obito and Kakashi. Thanks for your review!!  
**Chaotic Demon** Thankies so much!

**_Everyone:_** Thank you so much for reassuring me! I feel much much better now. As some of you may know, the next manga chapter is going to be about Kakashi's story…I'm really looking forward to it, but kind of dreading it…'cause I know it's going to be different, then I don't know how this story will be affected by it…I hope you'll continue reading this story though, even when we know the truth about Kakashi, Obito and the Fourth Hokage…Thanks again everyone!!! (hugs all) 

-Fanyar-


	20. Chapter Twenty

**Chapter Twenty:**

It was well after sunset, and the dark had settled quite comfortably onto the landscape. But one thing that was different from the past few weeks was that the night was clear. The stars twinkled visibly in the black sky, and the thin crescent moon emitted silver light across the snow covered country making it look almost silvery blue.

Misa made her way quickly up the side of a broad mountain that loomed behind Iwagakure. She glanced down at the village and saw the lights shimmering in the houses and a number of people on the streets, so before she got to areas visible from below, she spent some time going across the width of the mountain to a side where she would stand out less. Misa leapt nimbly up, leaping from one large boulder to the next, leaving hardly any tracks on the fresh snow. She climbed the last steep slope using all four of her limbs like an agile wolf. She knew the mountain quite well by now, and automatically landed in a hole that led further into deep tunnels dug into the mountain.

It was dark, but her eyes quickly adjusted to it and she quietly made her way deeper into darkness. There were so many tunnels, shafts and dead ends in the mountain that one could really get lost and die. The people of the village, especially the children were constantly reminded not to go near the mountain until they were taught about it all.

Misa ran swiftly through the tunnels turning a few corners and picking out entrances before she came to a cave with a low ceiling. There was a small tube of moonlight coming through a half blocked up hole in the wall. She stopped.

"Obito, Kakashi," she called softly. Something shifted above, and Misa looked up to see the two boys drop down from a small shelf in the ceiling. As soon as they touched the floor, they released the _henge_ they had been holding in a small puff of cloud. She grinned. "You found that?"

"Well, we had nothing to do other than investigate this cave while you were gone," Obito replied.

"Anyways, you're in luck," Misa said.

"Wait Misa," Kakashi cut in. She glanced at him questioningly.

"Are you sure you're willing to give us this information?" Obito asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?" she asked in turn with a small frown.

"If we find Tsunade-sama and the Rock assassins, there's a chance that we may kill them," Kakashi replied. "You might be selling the lives of your comrades to us." Misa saw what they were leading to. The frown eased from her brow and she sighed quietly once. But she smiled again and looked at both of them in turn.

"I understand what I'm doing," she said. "Thank you for worrying about me. But I know that you two aren't simple killers. I believe that if you kill someone, it's for a justified reason. I trust you, that's why I'm helping you."

"If they find out you gave us the information though, it won't just be 'trouble' you'll get into," Obito said. "You'll be severely punished."

Misa's smile remained on her lips. "Maybe," she said. "But I'll still help you." Her smile turned into a confident smirk. "Besides, no one will be able to catch me. They never do. I've done similar things before. I'm too cute to blame."

Obito snorted, but it instantly turned into a yelp as Misa's fist connected painfully to his head. With a groan he fell on his face clutching his head. A vein pulsated on Misa's still clenched fist though her face was still smiling. Kakashi whistled in amusement, though for a second, he saw an image that brought the familiar feeling of empty regret in his chest. Midori stood over Obito in the ground, the withheld anger evident in her expression while Obito complained into the dirt. The cave walls seemed to dissolve into fresh green trees and grass of the training field in Konoha. The image lasted barely a second though, and when Kakashi blinked, he was brought back to the dark cave. Obito closed his eyes while he complained into the ground about violent girls, but a soft, sad smile played on his lips.

"And," Misa continued, and Obito sat up quickly when he heard her tone of voice change from smug confidence to soft and quiet. She was smiling gently now and looking up at part of the moon through the hole. "I'm sure Midori-san wants you to get home as quickly as possible." She waited for a moment, and when the two didn't have anymore protests, she went on. "It's actually quite surprising," she said as she went to sit down against the wall. Obito and Kakashi followed suit and sat down on her left. "Large amounts of experienced shinobi were sent after this Tsunade-san. I couldn't find out the reason though. Anyways, there's been reports coming in regularly and the latest one, two days ago, said that they were tracking her down close to Lake Jiyu. That's a large lake surrounding a very tall mountain north of here."

"How far is it?" Obito asked.

"Half a day's travel, about six hours," she answered. "It's weird though. They've had two weeks, but they're still so close…You would usually just run, wouldn't you? Not linger?"

"I wonder if she's purposefully dragging her feet," Kakashi mused.

"Why would she do that?" Obito asked. "She probably knows some ANBU are after her."

"…Suicide?" he suggested after a small pause.

"What?" Obito said, sharply turning his head. Misa also seemed quite alarmed by the thought.

"From the rumours I heard just after she left Konoha, she lost her little brother and a few years later, she lost her boyfriend," Kakashi said. "If she left the village in despair and she still hasn't found anything to live for…" He left the statement unsaid, but the other two knew exactly what would have come and they thought about it a long time.

Obito narrowed his eyes a little, staring at the ground in front of his feet and he frowned. "Half a day was it, from here to Lake Jiyu?" he asked.

"Yeah," Misa replied, "but you can't leave now. You've just been travelling for almost two days straight without much rest. You don't know what you'll face when you get there. At least rest for the night and start at dawn."

Obito closed his eyes for a moment, easing away the frown and a lopsided grin took its place. He stood up and opened his eyes again, his gaze shifting down to Misa. "I'm afraid that isn't a choice," he said with a shallow shrug. "If we find somewhere at dawn we'll rest for a small while, but I feel that we need to get moving. Kakashi?" He glanced at his friend.

"I agree," he replied, also straightening.

"But Kakashi, Obito!" Misa pleaded desperately, quickly getting up and looking between them.

"It's alright," Obito said calmly. "Don't worry about us, we'll be fine."

Misa lowered her eyes in defeat, her shoulder sagging forward a little. She looked up again though, when Obito rested his hand on her head and smiled reassuringly. She stared into his gentle face, his calm eyes behind the goggles. Finally, a small smile tugged at her lips and she nodded.

"Well then Kakashi," Obito said, withdrawing his hands and stretching his arms a little. "Let's get this mission over and done with."

"Someone's enthusiastic," Kakashi mumbled as he followed Misa and Obito back through the tunnels to the outside. When Obito started down one of the tunnels they had come through, Misa stopped him.

"Over here," she said, pointing in the opposite direction. "You'll be less noticed." Obito and Kakashi followed her further into the core of the mountain where they found a huge, hollow shaft. There wasn't much of even a ledge encircling the hole and the diameter from one side to the other must have been nearly a hundred meters. They stopped at the end of the tunnel and looked down. It was a little lighter in the open, but below was pitch black. Misa suddenly slipped her hands into Obito's left and Kakashi's right and gripped them with a little pressure.

"Misa?" Obito asked, glancing at the girl between him and Kakashi. His friend seemed a little uncertain about his hand being held and he forced himself to suppress a laugh.

"You'll understand when we get down," Misa said, "There's only one smaller hole we can get through, otherwise there's just going to be sharp rocks, which is enough to kill us. Let's go." She hopped off the ledge and the two boys were forced to follow her. She seemed to guide them somehow to a certain point as they sped down with increasing speed.

After they had fallen for what seemed like a while, Kakashi and Obito understood what she had said. There were skeletons of humans strewn all across the floor and extremely sharp looking, thin cones of rocks were spiking the ground. They only had a few seconds to look around however, since they fell into a much smaller shaft and their fall continued.

"Yes! We made it!" Misa said with a broad smile.

"You mean there was a chance we wouldn't?!" Obito asked quickly. She giggled sheepishly.

"I never actually had the courage to fall down," she replied. "I'd walked down a number of times, that's why I knew where this hole was, but it takes such a long time." She winked and Obito rolled his eyes.

They came out on some quite soft ground, but it was so dark there that they could hardly see their own hands if they held them in front of their faces. Obito considered making some light with fire, and he started to pull his hand away from hers, but she resisted and tugged.

"This way," she said and started to walk. The two boys kept their heads bowed, not sure how high the ceiling was, but judging from the high speed Misa was walking, they slowly started to assume it was safe enough to walk upright.

"Three steps here," Misa said, slowing down a little and they felt their way down the steps. "There's a gap here." They stopped this time, and Kakashi stretched his foot a little forward to see where it was. After that, there were no more obstacles and after walking on for a little while longer, they began to see some light.

"How many times have you come here?" Obito asked.

"More than I can count," she answered as they went around the last bend and cold air suddenly struck them. She let go of their hands and led them out. They were at the very bottom of the mountain, the slopes rising almost vertically on their right. To their left was a vast expanse of jutting rock hills and rough terrain, all covered in the layer of snow. It seemed to stretch on forever, but then again, they couldn't see too clearly because of the night. They stopped before they treaded on the snow, and Misa pointed her finger in the direction of the bare country.

"Lake Jiyu is practically straight north from here," she said. "We're currently on the other side of the mountain from Iwagakure. It seems like a really long stretch, but you'll soon reach a large forest. Inside the ring of forest, it's the round lake and in the center is Mt. Jiyu."

Obito came up beside her and Kakashi stepped up on her other side, both of them looking across the terrain. Misa's eyes slid over a little to stare at Obito. A strange feeling tickled her stomach when he noticed her gaze and he turned to her with a grin.

"Thanks Misa," he said. "You've been such a great help. We really appreciate everything you've done for us."

Misa quickly shook her head. "Thank you too," she said. "I wouldn't have gotten my motivation back if it weren't for you two."

"We'll see you again, I suppose," Obito said. Misa nodded, forcing a small smile. She couldn't quite define what she was feeling. She was just reluctant to part with them.

"Thanks Misa," Kakashi said. "See you."

"Good luck," Obito added, ruffling her hair. They started out towards the small slope that led down to the path they were to head now. Just before they were about to drop down, Misa jerked her head up.

"Obito!" she shouted. The two stopped and turned back. Misa fidgeted nervously with her fingers, but after a while spoke up again. "When the war's over, can I go visit Midori-san?"

Obito smiled broadly. "Of course, she'd be delighted," he called back. "We'll be waiting for you, Misa!"

"Un (1)!" she shouted, a true smile coming to her now and she watched them disappear for a little while, then she saw them running across the white landscape under the moon.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Obito and Kakashi travelled silently at a quick pace. It was made a little difficult with the deep snow, but they tried to pick out rocks that had only a thin later on them and jumped between them. It also prevented leaving too many obvious footprints in the fresh snow. On the day they needed it to snow, it didn't.

They took a small break after about two hours and took turns to sleep. Neither of them did, but they got enough rest to continue the mission. They rested for about two hours before starting again. The rough terrain ended quickly after they started, and after a small stretch of a smooth plain, they saw the tall, bare line of trees Misa had described. Beyond that, they could vaguely see the peak of the mountain. The two stopped when they were in the cover of the tightly packed trunks and shadows. They looked around but noticed no other living creature close by.

"I guess it'll be the best if we get to the mountain first," Obito said, squinting through the night in the basic direction of it. "I don't think it's too far." Kakashi agreed and they set off again, warier now and using more caution and stealth. Although the layer of snow here was much thinner and large dirt patches were evident in numerous areas, they used the lower branches to leave no trace on the ground.

The forest was thicker than they had imagined, but they came out eventually to the dark lake. It was wide as well, measuring roughly about a hundred or so meters. They circled the lake and mountain once, still under the semi-shelter of the trees and found a line of stepping stones leading to the foot of the tall rock mountain. Quickly they made their way across the water and took a look around. The so called 'mountain' was no more than twenty meters diameter and looked more like a tower. The moon was sinking and the sky was beginning to pale in the east. Obito and Kakashi risked a quick expedition up the tower. They didn't go all the way, which would have taken them a while, but nearly half way up they found a small crevice and ducked in there. From that position, they scanned the lake below and the forest. Nothing seemed to be moving and after a few moments of searching, they made their way swiftly down.

"What do you think?" Obito asked.

"Can't really say anything," Kakashi replied. "It isn't too difficult for one person to hide in the forest, but for a group, I don't know. Then again – "

A sharp crack whipped the still air and not long after, there was the sound of splintering wood and a loud crash. Kakashi and Obito immediately spotted the disturbance area and without a word sprinted in the direction. Even before they arrived at the scene, they could feel quite a number of shinobi and they slowed down. When they drew closer, they silently crept up trees that were the most bunched together and looked down.

A woman, who they quickly recognised as Tsunade, stood in the middle of at least twenty ninjas. The tree they had heard falling lay just at her side. The Rock ninjas all had their weapons brandished and Tsunade stood there with a small smirk on her cold face.

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Translation:  
Un: informal way of saying "yes" or "yeah"

**Leilani: **Thanks! Yeah, Obito the kind hearted boy. . Probably why Kakashi's accepted him as a true friend.  
**HikaruOfArrow:** Thank you! Hope you enjoyed!  
**Rurikat:** Thank you for your support! And thank you for continuing to read the fic!!  
**MP:** Yeah, I think I'm just going to continue writing. Of course, the gaiden may affect the storylines, but I think I'll go through with my original ideas. Thanks for the review!  
**Littleadryan:** Thanks for reviewing! It's great to have new people read the fic. How far? Into Kakashi's ANBU years, as far as I've thought of, though I'll probably make that into a sequel. Hope you're enjoying and will continue to enjoy!  
**sUmbOdi: **Thankies for your compliment!! I really, really appreciate them! (hugs tightly) I just can't seem to forget about Midori myself, so I think that's why she keeps coming up…They do say, one only realises how important something is when it's gone.

Thanks again everyone!!!  
-Fanyar-


	21. Chapter TwentyOne

**Chapter Twenty-One:**

Tsunade smirked coldly at the gathered shinobi. "What's wrong?" she asked tauntingly. "You want to play hide and seek for another ten years here? I've so politely told you where I am, so what are you waiting for, huh?" She scanned the numbers and her smirk widened. "Is it so important that this certain piece of useless fact doesn't get to the daimyos?" She laughed without any mirth as the shinobi started to bristle and show anger. "That the high ranking shinobi of Iwagakure are just disgusting perverts forcing the girls against their wills?" she sneered. "Hn, I suppose it is, isn't it? How will the daimyos act if they catch word of it?"

The shinobi stepped closer to tighten the circle. Tsunade looked satisfied. She narrowed her eyes as a thin, icy smile pulled her lips. "Does anger boost your courage?" she mocked. "Come then, go ahead and attack me, kill me. I have no reason to live anyways. Don't worry, I won't run, I won't retaliate. See?" She stretched out her arms to either side. "I'll be your living training post."

"Is she really serious about that?" Obito breathed, almost inaudibly. Kakashi shrugged. Slowly and silently, he slipped his arm out of one of the straps of his bag and pulled out his weapon holster. Still intently watching below as the shinobi cautiously moved close, he strapped it firmly onto his right thigh. Obito followed suit.

Tsunade looked past the Rock ninjas and her eyes became a little distant and glazed. _Nawaki__, Dan, I'll be coming soon. I don't care anymore. I don't care if I'm killed by stupid, weak ninjas. As long as I can meet you two again. I don't care…_

Her eyes lowered to look at the first shinobi brave enough to attack, and felt another two dashing at her from behind. She didn't even bother bracing for the pain and she simply slid her eyes closed.

Several people shouted in alarm and a few cried out in pain.

Tsunade snapped her eyes wide open and saw the shinobi fall at her feet with a slit throat and upon glancing back, found the two behind her landing on their backs with a shuriken each embedded deep into their necks. At the same moment, she noticed two young boys landing on either side of her with weapons at ready.

"Tsunade-sama, please don't rush to death before you read what we have brought you," Obito said without looking at her.

"Who are you kids?" she asked, recovering from her slight shock.

"Shinobi," Kakashi replied simply, "from Konoha."

"'Shinobi from Konoha'" the other ninjas mimicked. They seemed much more confident now as they smirked and sneered at the two boys. "What can two little brats do against Jounin level adults?"

"Do you want to experiment?" Obito asked curiously. He ran towards one side of the group and they didn't hesitate to try and pummel the arrogance out of the kid. Kakashi stayed a little longer beside Tsunade, as did the other half of the assassination team.

"Tsunade-sama," he said. "If you really want to die, then we'll kill you, later. Not before you've read a certain letter addressed to you. Please stay here, until we've settled this."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes and stared at the boy, but didn't say anything, and soon, he too leapt in to fight.

Obito dodged one attack after another, his feet constantly moving and his hands flashing this way and that. He leapt up and swung himself onto a branch as the ground cracked beneath him. Jerking out a shuriken, he threw it at the first shinobi to follow him, managing a shallow cut. He vaulted back onto higher limbs of the tree, his hands flicking through hand seals. _Katon__ Goukakyuu no jutsu_. The stream of fire blew towards the ninjas, forcing them to scatter.

He immediately noticed his miscalculation though, even as he finished the technique. He spun around in the air, his arms coming up just in time to receive most of the shock from a vertical kick coming from a quick shinobi who had made it above him. He gritted his teeth, glancing over his shoulder to see the other eight ninjas already spreading out to surround him. He arched his back and landed on a thin branch on his hands, his foot swinging in an arc at another man. His ankle got caught, but he threw his weight off the branch nevertheless. Surprised, the shinobi stumbled and released the hold to regain his balance. Obito twisted around to catch the first kunai aimed at him and batted away the others with it. Once he was finished, he dropped down to a low branch again, but jumped straight back up, causing the others to change direction and follow him again.

He brought the kunai to his mouth just before the first enemy reached him. They engaged in a quick round of taijutsu, but Obito soon got the lower hand when the others joined in. He managed for some time, but sooner or later, he would have to run again. He chose the sooner choice. After having his kick blocked, he pushed off his opponent and leapt higher into the trees and away from where Tsunade and Kakashi were. He didn't notice one of the shinobi disappearing until he felt someone behind him. Without thinking twice, he spun around and caught the fist in his palm, then struck with his knee, but it was stopped. Shurikens whistled behind him. Obito snapped his captured leg, and at the same moment, swept the ninja off his feet, causing him to lose his balance. He leapt off his opponent's torso, one of the shuriken scraping the sole of his shoes, but it didn't cause him any damage. The others seemed to hit the shinobi who cried out in pain and then fell down the tree.

As he went up through the air, Obito looked down quickly at the eight remaining. He turned back around, landed on a branch, then sprang yet high. Bringing his hands together, he closed his eyes and released chakra. The shinobi below froze when they felt the chakra and at the same moment, each had an Obito holding them in a tight choke hold, their arms strained in a twisted position behind their backs. Their surroundings began to blur and swirl.

"Kage bunshin?" one of the shinobi asked with disbelief.

"No, a kid can't perform that," another replied. "It's too advanced."

"Genjutsu?" a third muttered.

"Bingo," said the original Obito. He stood on a branch not far from the others. "You're all inside my Genjutsu, and with one of your hands gone, you can't get out."

"The arrogant little brat," they growled angrily. Obito smiled, but it quickly disappeared and he became serious again.

"Tell me one thing," he said. "If any of you manage to defeat us, are you still going to go and kill Tsunade-sama?"

"Not _if_, it's _when_. Don't get cocky, damn kid," one of them spat.

"Whatever," Obito replied. "Just answer the question."

"Of course we are," another responded.

"Even if it might cost your lives?"

"The answer won't change."

Obito sighed. "Then in that case," he muttered. "I'm sorry."

The multiple replicas produced a kunai from their hands and brought the tip to the shinobi's necks. They smirked.

"You can't kill us with a Genjutsu," they sneered.

"Maybe you're right," Obito replied as the replicas flicked their wrists, the kunai heading quickly down to slit their throats. Then suddenly, some of the men shouted.

"It's not a Genjutsu! They're Kage Bunshins!"

Blood sprayed onto the tree branches at the same time as the imitations burst into puffs of smoke. _One, two, three, four, five_. Obito narrowed his eyes and vaulted backwards avoiding the weapons that struck the branch he was on. On his way down, he saw three of the shinobi dead as the smoke thinned. He had originally hoped for a bit more to go down. _I guess it isn't too easy when you're against Jounin level shinobi and you don't have other things distracting them_, he thought as he flitted through the trees attacking and dodging at a quick tempo.

Obito jerked his head up and twisted his body around just in time to miss a chunk of what seemed to be like mud. They came from all five of the shinobi and he was kept busy just trying to avoid the bullets. A few seconds later though, he knew something was wrong. There were too many mud balls. They seemed to just keep multiplying. _Something like Shuriken Kage Bunshin?_ he wondered. As he ducked and side stepped on the branch, Obito went through a set of hand seals.

_Katon__ Housenka no jutsu_. The balls of flame rose up around him like a circular wall. Obito cursed and immediately regretted what he had done. He had originally hoped the fire would melt the mud, but all that seemed to have happened was the mud was hardened and glazed, making them all the more harder. He threw up his arms and ground his teeth together against the multiple jabs of pain. He was more surprised at the force they had, which shoved him right off his balance and he tumbled down the tall trees.

"I swear I'm going to have a few good bruises tomorrow," he grumbled, somehow managing to get his feet under himself before he reached the ground. The air rustled loudly above, and he ran in a random direction. He paused when he reached the end of the trees rather quickly and saw the lake and "mountain" in front of him. He didn't have long to speculate though, as the chunks of mud kept flying at them. He pulled out two kunai and turning around, started to cut through the balls while dodging around. Until a thought struck him. _Suiton__…_

Gradually, Obito retreated back to the edge of the water. Once he was nearly too caught up with four of the ninjas and got a thin cut across his upper arm. When he reached the edge of solid ground, he leapt above a volley of mud balls and landed far into the lake. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he had activated his Sharingan. He wasn't going to risk anymore bruises. He waited for the next set of chunks which came from all directions as the shinobi spread out around him. His hands flew through the hand seals he was less familiar with than the fire elements, and he hadn't preformed the technique in actual combat, so all he could do was hope it would go well.

_Suiton__ Suijinheki_. The water burst up to form a circular barrier around him, but Obito kept his senses fully alert and his eyes stare intently around the rushing water. He suddenly stiffened, jerking his head up and saw someone descent down on him. He quickly stepped away, but that caused him to lose his concentration and the water wall collapsed. He felt someone's foot connect with his back and with a grunt, he was sent flying towards the mountainside. Obito fell into the water once, but quickly surfaced and coughed out the water, then he quickly sucked in the air from after the heavy impact.

"Out!" someone shouted.

Obito spun around and his eyes widened. Without thinking about anything else, he grabbed the side of the rock and yanked himself out of the water before the electric technique could travel across the water.

"Die, brat," a voice said above him, and Obito could only cross his arms in front of his chest as a heavy fist landed on him. He stiffened as soon as he touched the water surface, the electricity running into him. He screamed in pain as the stabs of some sharp sensation kept cutting into his senses.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

I do realise this chapter was very late to be posted…I'm soooo sorry!! It may be just me, but school's getting tough… . But don't worry, I'll_ never_ stop writing until I finish! Thanks everyone for supporting me!

**Leilani** Thanks yet again for reviewing!! Tsunade in action…Will have to think about that one…In the meanwhile, hope you've enjoyed!  
**Chaotic Demon:** lol, yep, Tsunade-sama's here! Thanks for your review!  
**Amanda:** Thanks a bunch! Always glad to have new readers enjoying the fic!  
**Katzuki** yay! Another new reader! Thanks for the review!! Lol. Hope you didn't suffer from lack of sleep the next day. Yeah, I know that both Kakashi and Obito are a bit too good for it to be too realistic, but I kind of think it would have been a tad bit too boring if they weren't about this level… No, there was no Uchiha Obito. That's my made up character. And yeah, Kakashi probably would have had to take it off, but I had completely forgotten about that…Anyways, I'll leave that section up to your imagination. Uhuh, you'll be hearing about his Sharingan succession. Well, as for the team, they don't have to be in a trio team since they aren't Genin anymore, so unfortunately Gai won't be joining them. Nice idea though. I'll be sure to keep writing!!  
**HikaruOfArrow** yup, yup Cliffy! And quite a wait too…Hope you've enjoyed!!

-Fanyar-


	22. Chapter TwentyTwo

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

Kakashi jerked his head to the side as he heard Obito's scream. Out of the original eleven that had remained to engage him in battle, four were already killed, leaving seven. There were scorch marks all around and the area seemed battered up in various places, along with the blood of several people. Tsunade stood to the side, leaning against a tree with her arms crossed her chest, her fists and jaw clenched tightly.

Kakashi ducked and sent his fist into the attacker's chest, then swept his foot in an arc and tripped another, then flipped backwards. His feet struck a tree trunk and sending some chakra there, he pushed off with some force and pulled out a number of shuriken from his back pouch. He crossed his arms and as he neared the seven, and he threw them at them. Once they were avoided, he flicked his wrists and the weapons came back, striking two shinobi, though not fatally.

But that was all he needed. Slipping off the wires that had connected the shuriken, he leapt up into the trees and sped off in the direction of Obito's scream. The others started to follow him.

"The woman's over here," one of them shouted.

"We'll deal with her later," another snarled back. "The kid's killed four of our comrades and injured most of us. I won't let him live." The other seemed to agree and they chased after Kakashi.

Kakashi forced himself to go faster as another fresh scream came to his ears. He burst out of the trees and was just in time to see Obito lose his consciousness and sink into the water.

"Obito!" he shouted, sprinting across the ground and leaping onto the water surface. He took one leap and reached the lightning wielder. Several of his attacks were dodged, but he withdrew two kunais and threw one of them. It was avoided easily, and he continued to throw the next, which was dodged as well. Kakashi landed on the water and looked up as the ninja was beginning to form seals. Deftly and quickly, he jerked his wrist in some directions. The shinobi immediately froze, stiffening, and with a gurgled cry, he fell down towards him, the second kunai embedded deep into his skin.

Some of the other ninjas rushed to attack Kakashi, but he dove under the water and not a second later, a large shock wave traveled underwater and he knew the explosive had gone off. But he concentrated on getting down and finding Obito. It was a short search as he saw his friend lying near the bottom of the lake. He quickly grabbed him and swam away from his diving area, towards the shore.

When he surfaced, Kakashi heaved himself and Obito out and immediately glanced towards the middle of the lake. The explosive had apparently killed two of the ninjas, and four others were injured. Looking in the opposite direction, he saw Tsunade walking to the edge of the trees and taking a look around. Kakashi landed close to her and eased Obito down on the grass beside her. He was simply out cold, but his heart beats were steady and nothing else seemed to be wrong with him.

"I'll leave Obito here," he muttered, and without waiting for a reply, went out to fight the remaining ten, very ticked off Rock ninjas. Tsunade smirked.

Kakashi walked towards the shinobi who came to stand in a wide semi circle on the water, close to the bank. Kakashi slipped his hands into his pockets and his eyes trailed from one end to the other.

"It's ten against one now, kid," one of the shinobi from Obito's half said.

Kakashi glanced at him and shrugged casually. "And?"

The others narrowed their eyes dangerously and lowered into stance. Kakashi pulled his hands out, and before another few seconds passed, the eleven shinobi were gone and speeding across the circumference of the lake. The water surface rippled wildly as the Rocks ran over it, and the grass was trampled by all the attacks thrown at Kakashi. He dodged every one of them though, as he kept his eyes fixed on his opponents.

"Will you not withdraw and leave Tsunade-sama alone?" Kakashi asked, blocking a snap kick and swiping his kunai at another man to keep him away.

"Your friend asked the same thing. The answer is 'no'"

"I reckoned so," he muttered, rotating on his left foot and throwing his heel at his opponent. At the last second, he stopped and flicked a kunai into unprotected stomach. He stumbled backwards, but Kakashi quickly landed his right foot and struck the sole of his left foot at the butt of the kunai, shoving it deeper before it would be removed.

Someone struck him across his back and before he could regain his balance, he fell forward into the water, then used a kawarimi to save himself from a rain of weapons. But before the log could surface, he caught it and pulling out one of the kunai, swiped it across his palm and let the blood flow up. He disposed of the log and put his hands together. _Kage__ Bunshin no jutsu_. With one of the replica, he transformed into one of their dead comrades and floated up with his back facing the enemies. The other two disappeared.

_Doton__ Shinjyuu-zanshu_ _no jutsu._Kakashi grabbed someone's ankles very tightly and yanked him underground. The shinobi went in with a half startled, half furious cry. Kakashi tensed as he crouched in front of the man's face and immediately leapt away, when he heard the weapons coming. He winced when he felt something sharp cut across his left calf, but a gurgled cry from behind told him that the buried man was now dead. He landed on his knees and assessed his wound quickly. It wasn't bad, but it was fairly deep. The group of shinobi came in to attack, when there was a scream from the back, saying that his two replicas (including the one who had played dead) had managed to bring down another ninja. That left seven.

They fought along the ground all the way back to where Tsunade still stood, watching them with mild interest. His feet skidding across the ground, he avoided a full impact against a tree, and kicked off the roots to avoid a volley of mud balls. He was more than surprised when they rebounded and struck various areas of his torso, throwing him to the ground as he rolled head over heel a number of times. He glanced down at the side of his elbow to see the impact area raw from friction. _They've put chakra into the balls now?_

Kakashi pushed himself quickly up and narrowed his eyes in concentration as another full volley of balls flew towards him. He leapt up the trees and across them, coming out into the open again. Half the balls were gone, but the others were still flying at him. He turned around and with a kunai ripped through them, with an exception of one. It struck him near the joint of his shoulder and upper arm, sending an awful feeling as he bit on his lip to stop from crying out. He stumbled back, and the seven shinobi came in at him at once.

Ignoring the grinding pain in his joint, Kakashi went through seals even as he leapt nearly vertically up. _Katon__ Housenka no jutsu_. The barrier of fire leapt up, surrounding all seven. As soon as the technique was finished, he started on another set of seals. He landed and thrust his right hand into the ground, grimacing at the pain but ignoring it. _Doton__ Iwatou no jutsu_. The improved technique he had known for a while got multiple large cones of hardened soil rising in a circle around the fire. Kakashi was breathing quickly, but he didn't intend to stop just yet. Leaping up the short towers, not half as tall as the trees, he completed yet another set of seals. _Katon__ Goukakyuu no jutsu_. The concentrated blast of fire streamed towards the seven and engulfed them in flames and smoke.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Obito stirred and slowly opened his eyes. When the blur faded away, he saw Tsunade leaning against a tree and looking keenly in a certain direction. The ground suddenly rumbled and quaked and he pushed himself into a sitting position. Tsunade glanced at him but said nothing, her eyes moving away again. He looked around for a second, then caught a landmark he hadn't seen before: a ring of rocks and fire swirling around and in it. He stared at it in surprise, and then he saw Kakashi throw a handful of weapons into the flames then drop to his knees.

"Kakashi!" he muttered, getting to his feet. His body was already beginning to feel sore. Suddenly three of the shinobi came up from the fire and sent Kakashi flying down. Obito glanced at Tsunade. "Will you not help him, Tsunade-sama?"

"I'm not fighting," was her simple reply. "And the genius doesn't need my help."

Obito looked back at the fight and saw Kakashi luring the ninjas into the trees. He hesitated a moment, then decided to watch a little more, thinking that his friend had a plan. He leapt up into the trees and once he got close, he stopped and hid in the upper branches.

Kakashi threw down a cloud explosive and for a second, visibility was zero as the thick puff of cloud surrounded the four. Kakashi multiplied again, and while the other two disappeared, he lunged through the smoke to attack them. He was low of chakra after the techniques so he wasn't going to waste anymore. He spent nearly five minutes fighting the three opponents in taijutsu alone.   
Kakashi drew back, breathing quickly and looking slightly more battered. The three spread out around him, looking ragged as well and tired. They were all keen to end the fight quickly. Kakashi ducked, then kicked upwards, and pushed off the ground on his hands and vaulted over the other two. He took out his remaining four shuriken and threw them at the three. They avoided them, but two of the weapons ripped through hidden wires. Two volleys of weapons flew down towards them, which they avoided by a hairs width.

Kakashi leapt back onto a low branch and using a branch above him, he pulled several wires that hung there. With startled shouts, the three shinobi found themselves tangled in wires, unable to move. They struggled, but Kakashi pulled the wires tighter, scratching the branch above.

"Withdraw, and I'll spare you your lives," Kakashi shouted down at them. "Otherwise…" He pulled the wires even tighter and the men stiffened as the thin wires began to cut through their skins. Kakashi grimaced and bit down a cry as his injured shoulder protested against the rough movements.

The three below noticed his obvious discomfort. One of them traced the wires around trees, looped around various places, but his led to be in Kakashi's right hand. The other two were in his left. He began to struggle again, jerking this way and that.

Kakashi clenched his teeth together, and pulled against the resistance. A bolt of pain spread from his joint and he bit his lip so hard blood started to trickle out.

"Will you withdraw?" he asked again with an effort, his voice strained no matter how much he tried to hide it.

"If we break that shoulder, will that satisfy as your answer?" the shinobi replied, continuing to jerk and pull.

"Then we'll have you die before that happens," Obito said appearing behind the three and quickly slit their throats. Stepping over their fallen bodies, he looked up at Kakashi and grinned. Kakashi immediately let the wires slip from his hands and looked back at Obito with a rather annoyed expression in his eyes.

"You could have come earlier if you were awake," he grumbled as he dropped down to the ground, gently holding his shoulder. Obito shrugged.

"By the way, is your shoulder all right?" he asked, pushing his hand away and rubbing his thumb across the joint. Kakashi flinched in pain and with a short grunt he dropped to his knees. "Kakashi!"

"I'm fine," he mumbled. "It's nothing."

"It's not nothing!" Obito shot back, dropping down as well and looking into his friend's sweaty face. "That shoulder's been crushed."

Kakashi looked up and turned his head to the side to see Tsunade walking towards them with her arms still crossed. She took her eyes off the two boys for a moment and looked around at the three bodies and the area littered with weapons and wires. _Impressive_.

All of a sudden, Kakashi tensed. "Obito get down!" he shouted, and he obliged without wasting a second. Kakashi grabbed a flying kunai right at the handle, stopping it close to his chest. Obito looked up with a frown and quickly spun around. There was a shadowed figure in the trees above.

"Get away from Tsunade-sama!" the figure shouted before they could ask anything.

"'Sama'?" Obito muttered. "Wait, we're also from Konoha!"

"Hurry up and get away!" It was clearly a female. Obito and Kakashi jumped away as another set of weapons flew down at them. The figure dropped down and landed close to Tsunade.

She held up a kunai in an aggressive stance. "Come any closer to Tsunade-sama and I will kill you both."

"Who are you?" Obito asked.

"My name is Shizune."

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**Leilani** Thanks again for your review!! Yes I'll try my hard!   
**HikaruOfArrow** I'm afraid Tsunade didn't have much of a part in the fight…-.-…Nope, Obito's too stubborn to die like that. .''   
**Amanda:** Thanks a bunch!   
**Rurikat** lol. Thanks for reviewing!   
**Magicians of the Yami**: Thanks! You've got almost two chapters of battle now. Hope it didn't bore you out. .   
**sna** yeah, I do intend to bring Asuma, Kurenai and Anko out soon. Hope you look forward to it! Thanks for the review!!

Thanks everyone!   
-Fanyar-


	23. Chapter TwentyThree

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

Obito and Kakashi stood silent and still, bewildered by the girl's aggressive attitude. She looked a few years older than them, but she didn't wear a Hitai-ate or a vest. She was certainly a trained ninja, but it was highly unlikely that she was on a mission alone. She couldn't have been a Genin simply travelling alone. The way she referred to Tsunade in an honourable form also confused the two.

"You _are_ from Konoha, aren't you?" Obito asked. "Relax, we are as well."

"That's the point," she replied. "Tsunade-sama left the village on her own will. It's stupid to send shinobi after her. Return to the village."

Obito tensed, but Kakashi put a hand on his shoulder and he glanced at his masked friend. Kakashi kept his eyes steadily on Shizune. "We aren't here to force her back," he said. This seemed to somewhat surprise both females. "If we had had the time to explain, we would have, but that didn't seem like a choice before." He let go of his injured shoulder and dug into his pocket and pulled out the scroll the Hokage had given them. Shizune looked suspicious and opened her mouth to protest something when Tsunade cut in.

"Shizune…did you say you were?" she said. "What do you want with me?"

Shizune turned around fully and bowed her head politely. "I am Dan's niece," she replied. Tsunade's eyes widened. "I came here because I wanted to become your apprentice and assistant."

Tsunade turned away, her head bowed and her eyes shadowed. "Shizune," she said quietly, "go back to Konoha."

Shizune was shocked to hear this. "Why?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I don't need an assistant and I don't intend to teach anyone," she replied.

"Tsunade-sama," Obito said, taking the scroll from Kakashi and walking towards her. "This is from Hokage-sa – !" His sentence cut off abruptly with a loud curse as he threw himself to the ground, a kunai cutting a few strands of his hair. He jerked his head up to Shizune and glared at her. "What the hell was that for?!"

"I told you stay away from Tsunade-sama!" she shouted back.

"It's not like I'm going to attack her!"

"Liar," she snapped, drawing out a handful of kunai. "If you don't stay back I'll kill you."

"Cut out this stupidity already!" Shizune flung the weapons at him and he jumped over them, pushed off the bottom of a branch and lunged down at her.

"Obito!" Kakashi shouted.

Obito suddenly saw something move between them and immediately afterwards felt a fist connect to his chest. He gasped for breath as he flew backwards, and while he was in the air, he saw Tsunade with her other hand around Shizune's wrist, a hidden kunai dropping to the ground. Kakashi ran towards Obito and caught him before he hit the floor. He was surprised when he was knocked off his feet and landed on the ground. He hadn't expected such force.

"What a pathetic sight," Tsunade spat, letting go of Shizune. "Two Konoha ninjas fighting each other with violent intentions. What education have you gone through?"

"Why am I the only one who got hit?" Obito grumbled very quietly.

"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune objected, "They intended to kill you!"

"What?"

"I heard the masked boy say 'we'll kill you'."

Obito turned disbelievingly to Kakashi, who stared at Tsunade. She grinned mirthlessly and shook her head.

"He knew I was trying to die anyways," she said. "That's why he offered to do the dirty work after I listen to what they had to say. If you're going to eavesdrop then listen from the beginning to the very end."

Shizune's eyes widened upon hearing this. "Tsunade-sama…" she whispered, "Are you seriously thinking of dying?"

She shrugged, turning away from the girl and facing the two boys, "Maybe. Hand over that scroll." Obito tossed it lightly over. She opened it and read it through. The cold grin flashed across her face again. "What – "

"Tsunade-sama!" She glanced over her shoulder at Shizune, who continued, "Tsunade-sama…" Her eyes were on the floor again, aggressiveness almost completely gone from her face. "My uncle's dream was to become the hokage someday, because he loved everyone in the village and wanted to protect them. Even if his body is dead, his wish and his feelings are still here. He would be saddened if you died, Tsunade-sama! He would have wanted you to live and be happy! He wouldn't want you to die, Tsunade-sama!"

Tsunade remained still for a few moments, staring at Shizune. Then she closed her eyes and turned away from all three of them, a small smirk curving the edges of her lips. It wasn't so cold though anymore. She rolled the scroll back up and tossed it back to Kakashi and Obito, the former catching it.

"Tell the old geezer that I don't have any intentions of being a shinobi again and definitely will have nothing to do with the medical areas," she said without turning around. She started to walk away from them. "Also, tell him: win with the strength you currently have."

"Tsunade-sama," Shizune said uncertainly.

"I'm not going back to Konoha," Tsunade replied, continuing to walk away from them. "But I'm thinking of starting to gamble while travelling." She raised a hand and waved at them. "Bye."

Obito and Kakashi stared after her until Shizune shifted and their attention turned to her. She glanced at them and the colour rose in her face a little.

"Uh…I'm sorry about before," she mumbled. "Please forgive me for the aggressiveness, I take it back. It was my mistake in the first place anyways." She laughed, a little nervously. Obito grinned.

"It doesn't matter," he said. "What do you plan to do from now though?"

"I'll follow Tsunade-sama, of course," she replied with a smile. "Hope to see you again." With that, she ran off, following Tsunade and before long, they could not longer be seen. Obito sighed heavily and dropped back down to the ground, huddling up against the bottom of a tree. Kakashi raised a curious eyebrow.

"I'm freezing," Obito answered to the silent question. "My clothes are still damp from the ice waters and the cold temperature isn't helping."

Kakashi rolled his eyes. "We're in it together aren't we?" he said, eyeing his also damp clothes. "Though I might not have had to get wet if you hadn't have messed up."

"What do you mean 'messed up'?! I got electricity straight through me! What could I do?!"

"Okay, fine, whatever," Kakashi mumbled, not really wanting to get into another long argument that would turn into a fight. "We're finished with our mission. Let's get back to Konoha."

Obito grinned broadly, "No objections!" He sprang up from the ground and took two large, enthusiastic leaps, froze in mid step, then came right back. He frowned as he looked at Kakashi. "Your shoulder," he said.

"I told you it's nothing," he replied, turning away and walked further into the forest to where they had left their bags. "I'll have it checked when we get back."

"That's going to be a while," Obito said.

Kakashi shrugged with one shoulder. "I'll live," he said.

"No you won't!" Obito shouted, running after him and grabbing his left shoulder, turning him around.

"I will."

"You won't!"

"I will."

"You won't!"

"I will."

"You won't!"

"I will."

"You won't!"

"I will."

"You won't!"

"I will!"

"You won't!"

"I will!"

"You won't!"

"I won't!"

"You will!"

Kakashi raised a triumphant eyebrow.

"…KAKASHI you little – !"

Obito cut off instantly and they both stiffened. Obito drew out a kunai, and Kakashi yanked one out that was sticking out of a tree trunk.

"Who's there?" Kakashi asked, staring up at the higher branches.

"So it _was_ you two, Kakashi, Obito," the person called down with mild surprise.

"Kazuma-sensei," Obito muttered in shock. The figure lightly jumped down and landed in front of them. Indeed, it was their teacher. They both lowered their weapons. Kazuma smiled pleasantly.

"There's no need for that kind of expression," he said. "You look as if you saw Hokage-sama in a pink dress with make up on." Obito instantly burst out laughing and even Kakashi couldn't stop himself from imaging the sight. When Obito's fit of laughter finally subsided, he sighed and became a little more serious.

"Why are you here, sensei?" he asked.

"I'm on my way back from a mission."

"That was a quick mission," Obito commented.

"Kazuma-sensei's missions are rarely long unless we go along," Kakashi muttered.

"Didn't you just want to say 'Kazuma-sensei's missions are rarely long unless _Obito_ goes along.'?" Obito asked with suspicious narrowed eyes.

"Certainly not."

Obito bristled and was about to pounce onto him when a thought struck his head. A sly grin spread onto his face. "Kazuma-sensei, Kakashi's shou – uger igu gurogen." The last part became a line of sounds by Kakashi's left hand clasped tightly over his mouth. Their teacher raised a curious eyebrow.

"It's nothing," Kakashi said quickly. Obito struggled in his lock but Kakashi never loosened the grip.

"Well, if you insist," Kazuma said. "First though, we should do something about Kakashi's right shoulder. Did either of you bring some medical things?"

Kakashi's hand slipped off Obito's mouth in surprise and the latter had nothing to say.

"How did you know about Kakashi's shoulder?" Obito asked after a few silent moments.

"Hm? Oh, was I right?" he asked, then he got serious again. "It's the way you stand. I could immediately tell that you were injured somewhere along your right arm."

"Sharp observations as usual," Obito muttered with a low whistle. "I'll go get our bags. We should have some medical supplies at least." Without waiting for a reply, he leapt up into the branches and silently headed away.

"The bodies of the Rock ninjas," Kazuma said, "I suppose you got tangled up with them and that's how you got hurt?" Kakashi nodded. "You've done well then. There were many of them. How's the mission going?"

"Accomplished," Kakashi replied.

"Eh?" Kazuma was completely thrown off guard and he turned to stare at Kakashi with a startled expression. So Kakashi started at the beginning from when they had met Misa and told him about the past days. Obito came back during the middle of it, and while he and Kazuma secured Kakashi's shoulder a little, the two boys told the rest of it.

"I see…So Shizune went with her, did she?" Kazuma concluded. Obito nodded. Kakashi pulled his shirt back on, glad to have the protection again against the cold. Kazuma just looked at the two for a while, then smiled. "Well done, Kakashi, Obito. I guess we can head back together then."

"Hai."

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First of all, I want to apologise to everyone for the chapters being updated later and later…I'm really sorry. I've tried to write as much as I can each day, but it doesn't work too well… Please, please forgive me and thank you everyone for being patient!! By the way, I got the Uchiha Obito part right, though Midori's name was a tad bit off… (talking about the manga)

**HikaruOfArrow:** Thanks for the idea, I thought about trying it out, but I think I'll leave Misa alone for now. I didn't really want to make the Rocks much worse than they are now. Badness I mean. Thanks for always reviewing!!  
**Leilani:** Thanks for the review! Sorry about the delay! Hope you enjoyed.  
**Rurikat:** lol…yeah, I reckoned so, but I guess everyone gets a bit aggressive once in a while. Thanks for the review!  
**sUmbOdi:** Don't worry about it, I'm glad you're still enjoying it! Unfortunately, no, she won't be returning. But in the future, you know she will. Thanks for reviewing!  
**Katzuki:** Thanks for your review! Oh good, that's nice to hear about the Japanese phrases.  
**Chaotic Demon**: lol. Can I take it that you like the story? Thanks!  
**Littleadryan:** Thanks a whole bunch for your compliments! I'm really glad you like it!  
Thanks for the review! Great to see another new person enjoy the story.

Thanks everyone sooo much! (hugs all very, very tightly)

-Fanyar-

PS: I would have gotten this up earlier but was doing updates so I couldn't log on. Sorry!


	24. Chapter TwentyFour

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

"Hokage-sama!!"

The door to the Third's office burst open and a breathless messenger tumbled inside. People were bustling chaotically outside in the corridors, shouting to each other.

"What's all the commotion about?" the Hokage asked, looking at the bumbling ninja.

"Hatake Kakashi and Uchiha Obito have returned with their mission accomplished!" he said very quickly and rather loudly.

"Nani?!" The Hokage stiffened and sat up immediately. The crisis outside seemed to subside when Obito and Kakashi stopped at the open doorway. Obito had a lopsided grin with his hands locked casually behind him head. Kakashi stood with his usual, laid back expression, his left hand in his pocket and his right hanging by his side.

"We're back," Obito said lightly.

"But we're alone," Kakashi added. The Third sighed and motioned them inside. The messenger quickly took his leave and closed the door after him.

"We found Tsunade-sama and had her read the scroll," Obito continued. "But all she said was," At this point, he changed the tone of his voice and in a much exaggerated way, mimicked Tsunade. "'I don't have any intentions of being a shinobi again and definitely will have nothing to do with the medical areas. Win with the strength you currently have.' We went all through the trouble of finding her and that's all that – OW!" Obito rolled on the floor, his hands nursing a large bump on his head from Kakashi's foot.

"Did you come here to complain?" Kakashi asked, not even bothering to hear a reply. Instead, he looked up at the Hokage. "That is all there is to it, Hokage-sama. But a girl called Shizune is accompanying Tsunade-sama. I think they will be fine."

The Hokage sighed and nodded once. "Thank you both for the trouble. It is greatly appreciated."

Kakashi bowed and dragged a struggling Obito away and out of the office.

"I learned how to walk at a younger age!" Obito snapped and got to his feet.

"I thought you had forgotten by the way you just kept rolling around in the office," Kakashi said with exaggerated surprise. They walked passed the other shinobi who watched them leave and out into the cold air. Kazuma had left them once they had returned to hand in his own reports but not before heavily insisting that Kakashi go to the hospital _immediately_ after they finish talking to the Third. Obito smirked.

"Are you maybe embarrassed that you got injured and we're worried about y – Ow! Will you stop kicking me?!" he shouted, rubbing a hand over the second bump.

"You're the one who keeps getting hit."

"You need to work on your self control."

"You need to work on keeping your mouth shut."

"Oh whatever!" Obito shouted as they descended the spiral stairs. "You're lucky you're injured, or I wouldn't have kept this argument at the verbal stage!"

"Saved your pride by not losing to me," Kakashi replied.

"Kakashi!"

The two continued to snap at each other all the way until they reached the hospital where the nurses forced them apart. While Obito was made to stay in the waiting room, a nurse took Kakashi into a room. She sat him down on a bed and removed his shirt. For a nearly a minute, she examined the shoulder.

"Surprised you've handled this for so long," she muttered. "It hurts doesn't it?"

"Not really."

"Liar," she said, briefly applying a gentle pressure against his bare skin. Kakashi grimaced and stifled a cry halfway out. "Not painful at all, is it?" the nurse mocked. "The shoulder is shattered; the edges of your collar bone and arm joint are broken. Nice one, Hatake."

Kakashi just looked away with an irritated look. The nurse shook her head and proceeded to heal his injury.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"How many times have I told you _not_ to aim for the shoulder?!" Kakashi shouted as he vaulted back down onto the snow covered fields of the training grounds.

"I can't help it, can I?!" Obito yelled back, chasing him. "You move too quickly that my attacks just happen to touch your shoulder!"

"Yeah right. That's the only way you can get a handicap, that's why."

"I'm starting to regret him getting a sharper mouth," Obito grumbled quietly. "UWA!!" Kakashi sighed and stopped, turned around and saw exactly what he expected to see. Obito lay face first in the high snow, the sunlight reflecting briefly reflecting off a thin wire close to his feet. Kakashi retraced his steps and Kazuma dropped down onto a large boulder that stuck out of the snow.

"You've been rather careless for the past week since you've come back, Obito," Kazuma commented.

"Don't even say it sensei," Obito mumbled, getting up and brushing the snow off his goggles. "Nice one to plant a wire in the snow, Kakashi."

"Idiot," Kakashi replied with an amused expression. "The wire is always here. This is a part of the Ninja Academy training field in case you've forgotten." Obito's blank look stated very clearly that he had.

"What's wrong, Obito?" Kazuma asked.

Obito avoided both their eyes for a while, before they got fixed at the bottom of the boulder Kazuma was perched upon. "Is it…hard to become a Jounin?" he finally mumbled. Their teacher raised an eyebrow and stared at Obito for a while. Then he smiled casually.

"I see," he said. "So that is the reason you keep zoning out these days. Hmm…Well, it's very rare that you hear of ten/eleven year old Jounins, especially during the Five Country crisis…But then again, it's also rare to have such talented ninjas."

"Then is it possible?" Obito asked, bring his eyes up to meet Kazuma's calm gaze.

"If Hokage-sama allows it, then I don't see anything holding you two back," he replied.

"Is it like the Chuunin exam?" Kakashi asked, taking more of an interest to the topic now.

"No, it's nothing like it," Kazuma replied. "It's more individual since it isn't required for Chuunins to be in a team. Every hidden village has its own way of electing Jounins. In Konoha we have ANBU examiners. If they approve of your skills then they inform the Third and he has the final say."

"What do we do to be tested?" Obito asked.

"All kinds of things. Observations, reliability, mental and physical strengths, decision making, combat, tracking and the list goes on."

"How long does it take?" Obito asked.

"There's a limit of a week."

"Meaning they are going to bombard us with all of the things you listed," Kakashi concluded. Kazuma nodded.

"And we're alone when we're doing this," Obito added. Kazuma nodded again.

"Feeling up to it?" their teacher asked. Obito suddenly grinned and Kakashi had a new light in his still fairly blank eyes.

"Why wouldn't we be?" Obito asked challengingly. Kazuma shook his head slowly, looking at his two students. After a while they parted as he went to speak to the Hokage. Kakashi and Obito left the training field after another half an hour of mild training and went to go visit Midori's grave.

"Why the sudden thought of becoming a Jounin?" Kakashi asked as they walked up the stone stairs.

"I don't know," Obito replied with a shrug. "Just felt like it."

"You know there's a likely chance that the Hokage-sama won't permit it. And even if he does, it doesn't mean we'll pass."

"Well, it'll add up into experience at the least. You're much too pessimistic Kakashi."

Kakashi ignored the comment and they talked about other things as they visited the grave.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Kakashi and Obito for the Jounin exam?" the Hokage repeated. He stood looking out at the village behind his desk, but he turned around to face Kazuma.

"Hai," Kazuma replied.

"I am having doubts about having such an event at this critical moment in time, Kazuma," he said.

"It isn't as big an event as the Chuunin exam, Hokage-sama," Kazuma replied calmly. "And we need all the forces we can get before the final push, meaning training for everyone. There is still time before spring arrives."

After a moment of silence, the Third finally nodded. "Very well, but one more question. Are they ready for it? The Jounin exam is nothing to take lightly, and they are not even out of childhood. Isn't better to put it off for at least another two years?"

"As you know, Kakashi is a born genius," Kazuma responded, "and Obito has inherited the blood of the Uchiha, the greatest clan in Konoha. Their growth, especially over the past few months, has surprised even me. I have no doubt about their skills."

"But mentally, are they ready?"

"If they were not, they would not have asked to attempt the exam."

The Hokage stared long and hard at Kazuma, who held the gaze calmly and with confidence. Finally the Third sighed and closed his eyes, running his fingers across his forehead. "Very well," he said again, looking back up at Kazuma. "I will inform you later about when the exam will start."

"Thank you Hokage-sama," Kazuma said, bowing his head respectfully.

"But if they fail this first attempt," Sarutobi added, "please have them wait a year or two."

"Hai."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The day after Kazuma's brief meeting with the Hokage, he stood in the training field again, observing his two students. Kakashi had both his arms tied behind his back and Obito had a blindfold over his eyes. They fought in the deep snow, which slowed down their speed and forced them to increase their concentration.

He watched them as Kakashi gradually began to lure Obito over to the half frozen river. He watched until Obito had realised what had happened and at the same time, Kakashi cracked the thin layer of ice then leapt back onto the solid ground. A hawk distracted Kazuma as it flew overhead, circled the training field a number of times, then swooped down to settled onto his outstretched arm.

"Thank you," Kazuma said, pulling off a small note attached to the bird and it immediately took flight. Loud curses and chaotic noises came from the river along with splashes of water. He didn't even need to look to see what had happened. Instead, he opened the small piece of paper and read through the simple message. He then walked over to the two boys.

Obito's blindfold had come off and he was soaked through all his clothes. His goggles dangled around his neck and he was looking _very_ angry. Kakashi on the other hand was doing his best from avoiding Obito's fury and the ice cold water that his friend was splashing at him.

"KAKASHI I'm going to KILL YOU!" Obito screamed, scrambling out of the water, his clothes dripping and he chased Kakashi with multiple element techniques.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Kakashi shouted back, dodging this way and that to avoid being burned or frozen. "But you should have at least noticed what you were standing on."

"I did!!"

"Not before it was too late though."

"Just shut up!"

Kakashi suddenly found a number of Obitos in front of him so he abruptly changed his course of direction, almost crashing into Kazuma. He skidded to a stop and made a strange noise when the replicas piled onto him.

"Obito, get off!" Kakashi growled, immediately getting himself loose from the rope that tied his hands and shoving the bodies off. When they all disappeared into smoke, the real Obito crashed down onto Kakashi, getting him in a choke hold.

"Ha! Now give up and get into that water!" Obito shouted into his ear. Kakashi grimaced and shoved the real version off as well.

"One, you're wet, plus two, sensei has something to tell us, equals three, get back to your senses you little dimwit," Kakashi muttered. Obito growled, but stood up from the snow and fell into a casual posture.

"A note from Hokage-sama," Kazuma said, lifting up the small piece of paper. "You're exam starts at sunrise tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?!" Obito asked. "That's rather quick."

"Guess everyone's still busy with the loss of shinobi," Kakashi commented. Kazuma nodded.

"But this means that the Third has agreed to let us take the exam?" Obito asked, momentarily forgetting the biting cold with his excitement.

"Yes, but under one condition," Kazuma replied. "If you fail this try, your next one will only be in two or three years." The two didn't question this, since they already had a basic idea of the reason behind the condition. They simply just nodded. "Further instructions will be given to you at six o'clock tomorrow morning at the East gate. Bring all your ninja tools but keep them at a minimum since you'll be running around a lot."

"Will you be supervising this?" Kakashi asked.

"No, I'll probably be getting a mission."

Obito grinned. "We won't fail it."

"Don't be so sure, Obito," Kazuma warned. "It isn't an easy test."

"I know, I understand," he replied.

"Well then, I suggest you go home from now and spent the rest of the afternoon resting and preparing. I'll see you off at the gates in the morning."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The morning came relatively quickly for the two young shinobi. Before he could really stop and think about it, Kakashi found himself walking down the empty streets at around six in the morning. It was still as dark as night and there were hardly any lights on in any of the houses. Every few streetlamps were on, but their light was dim and hardly of any use. It was cold and even if one looked up, there weren't any stars or the moon. It wasn't even started to get lighter in the east.

Kakashi felt goose bumps automatically rise onto his skin to try and keep warm but it wasn't helping much, other to make him realise how cold it actually was. He quickened his pace to get the blood circulating a little faster. He wore his usual, dark clothes with the Chuunin vest offering some warmth. There were a few scrolls in the holders and although he didn't bring a bag, his holsters and pouches were almost full.

He neared the East gate after a short while and Obito met him at one of the corners. Without saying much, they continued down the road, the houses thinning out. In the lighter shadows of the morning, they could soon distinguish their teacher waiting for them. On each side of Kazuma, there was an ANBU, dressed in the official uniform, the animal mask lowered over their faces and the tattoo vivid on their left upper arms. One of them was leaning against the closed, wooden gates, but pushed off as the two boys stopped in front of them. The other straightened from a crouch and observed them from behind his mask. After a small pause, he spoke.

"Uchiha Obito and Hatake Kakashi," he said in a quiet voice, but it sounded clear and sharp in the still air. "When the sun rises, your Jounin exam will commence."

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**QUESTION:** Do you want me to write about the exam? There's a very high possibility that the Jounin exam is a lot different from my imagination and there's going to be a good deal more of fight scenes…Please let me know of your opinions!!

**Chaotic Demon**: Thanks a whole big bunch!! Hope you continue to like it!  
**Leilani**: Sry the tad bit late update. . It's a big longer though, if that counts to mend the delay. Lol. Thanks for reviewing anyways!!  
**Katzuki**: Yeah, it was kind of annoying since I _finally_ had the chapter finished and it wouldn't let me log on… . hehe. Anyways, glad you like it! Thanks for the review!  
**sUmbOdi**: lmao! Really glad you like it so much. Um…pairings? No, as far as I can tell now…I was thinking about Obito and Misa, but I don't think so…I'm no good at romance anyways…Thanks for your review!  
**Littleadryan**: hehe, so happy you liked it, thanks for reviewing! It's no problem, I understand you'll be busy. I'm just happy by the fact that you'll keep reading. .  
**Shadowangl**: Thanks for your compliment and review! As usual, happy to get to know a new reader! Hope you continue to enjoy.

Thanks everyone! Please be sure to tell me your thoughts for the Jounin exam!  
-Fanyar-


	25. Chapter TwentyFive

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

The second ANBU came forward and pulled out a simple map of the area. "The rules are simple. Over the course of seven days and six nights, you are allowed to go anywhere within Fire Country. However, Uchiha, you must stay in the region between the East and South lines." He pointed to the lower right section of the map. "Hatake, your boundary is between the North and East." Again, he indicated to the section. "If you cross the line, you are immediately failed. This includes any of your weapons that you may throw."

"Everything else is allowed," said the first ANBU, "Which includes you killing us, and us killing you. Understood?" Although taken aback a little, they both gave nodded and each received a basic map.

"Then if you are alive, you will return to this gate by sunset of the seventh day," Kazuma concluded. His face didn't show the usual, casual smile and his eyes seemed a little closed off from the two boys. His voice was more official as well. "The sun will rise in a short while, and that is when these two will pursue you."

Both of the ANBU disappeared and a moment later, the wooden gates swung open. Now they could see the eastern sky beginning to dim, very lightly. A gust of cold wind blew at them through the open gateway and beyond it, the thin branches were swaying to and fro, while the thicker ones were too burdened with snow.

"Go," Kazuma commanded.

"Hai," they replied in unison, and ran past their teacher. Kazuma didn't turn around to see them immediately spring away in the opposite directions, Obito to the South and Kakashi to the North. The two ANBU came back down, one of them landing and remaining in a relaxed crouch while the other turned to look at the sky.

"They must have quite some talent if you're letting them take the Jounin exam this early, Kazuma-san," said the man who was crouched down.

"I'm expecting a lot from them as well," said the other.

"Indeed, there's much more to them than meets the eye," Kazuma responded, turning his head a little to glance over his shoulder. _Much, much more._

"Well, I guess this is better than doing missions." The ANBU straightened and stretched his arms. "But," he added, his voice becoming serious, "that's no reason to underestimate them."

After another short while of silence and waiting, the sun's edge peeked over the horizon. It was hard to tell because of the clouds promising even more snow, but it was definitely visible to the trained eye. Without a sound, the two elite ninjas disappeared, each going after a participant. Kazuma turned around completely now and stared at the light area through the grey clouds. _Good luck, Obito, Kakashi._

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Kakashi had made his way due north, matching the landscape with the map. It wasn't much to compare with, but he needed to know his limited space. He knew it was quite a large portion of land, but he needed some reference to the exact borderline. He went along for a while before he saw the sun rising. He had gotten to know the vague area so he was content with how he had spent the handicap time.

Now he stopped traveling and hid himself in the shadows of a dense patch of tree limbs. Despite the sunlight, it was still relatively dark and there were plenty of shadows he could hide in. His right hand hovered over his weapons holster while he left all his senses open to detect anyone. His muscles were loose but alert, enabling him to spring into action.

"Hatake." The ANBU landed on a branch higher up and to Kakashi's right side. "You can come out. I'm not going to attack you at the moment."

Kakashi didn't move. He had no idea whether the elite ninja knew where he was, but he continued to watch the ANBU carefully. The man sighed and shook his head a slowly.

"Well, in either case, I know you're close enough to hear me," he said. "A lot of people call me Yuki. I won't reveal my real name at the moment. I'll be your examiner for this exam. I just thought it would be nice to introduce myself…Ah, here you are."

Kakashi's eyes widened as he snapped his head to his right, finding Yuki crouched on the branch immediately next to his. He glanced at the place where he had last seen the examiner, but found nothing there, meaning it wasn't a Kage Bunshin. He hadn't encountered anyone so fast besides Kazuma.

"Don't worry," Yuki said, "I told you, I'm not here to attack. It just feels better introducing myself face to face with someone." He lifting up the animal mask and revealed a fairy young, smiling face. He seemed to be in his mid twenties, his dark brown hair pulled into a tight ponytail and a small golden ring hung on his left earlobe. "Anyways," he continued, "Nice to meet you."

"Uh…nice to meet you too," Kakashi mumbled, still quite baffled by Yuki's behaviour.

"So, did you get a chance to note your boundaries?" Yuki asked, shifting into a more comfortable position, his mask balanced steadily on his head.

"Some," Kakashi replied.

"Good. Best is if you stay away from them as much as possible. It's hard to know the exact line. Do you have enduring food supplies? I suggest you use them, instead of trying to cook fish and show so many defenceless openings. And avoid sleeping too deeply. I can cost you you're life. Oh and lastly, you'll be following my orders." Yuki's eyes arched up into very casual, friendly smile. "I wish you good luck."

"Aren't you supposed to be the hunter?" Kakashi asked with a slight frown.

"Hm? Hunter?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, then shrugged. "No idea."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means," Yuki said, turning his head fully to look at Kakashi, quite seriously, "it is for me to know, and you to find out." Then he grinned again, straightened and brushing small pieces of dust off his clothes. "In any case, we're going to be stuck together for the next week, so let's take it easy," he said, turning away and waving his hand back at the boy. Then he turned his head slightly, and added, "Unless, of course, you die before the week is up." Without waiting another second, he disappeared, leaving Kakashi quite wary and more than little confused.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

It had been about four hours since the beginning of the exam, and Kakashi had seen no further trace of Yuki anywhere. He didn't even feel the ANBU's presence, though he knew that would be hard to detect. The weather didn't get any better, the sun remaining hidden behind thick, grey clouds that hung low. He roughly estimated that it would probably snow towards evening.

Kakashi suddenly stopped and spun around on the high branch. There was nothing there, but something was giving him a prickling sensation. Slowly, he rotated, searching the area. Something wasn't right. Then he noticed it. He felt the wind blowing quite strongly against his face, but nothing else was moving, not even the thinnest branches. He then heard, then saw weapons slicing the air towards him. His hands came up together quickly and he gathered his chakra. _Kai._

Immediately the illusion broke away, and the kunai disappeared with it. His surroundings weren't very different from what it had been like inside the Genjutsu, but he found the branches swaying to and fro against the wind. He also found himself one tree branch away from the East line border.

Without another moment of pause, Kakashi jerked out a kunai and used it to bat away two others, which fell down harmlessly at his feet. Looking beyond, he saw an ANBU standing on a thin branch not far away.

"Yuki-san," Kakashi muttered. "That Genjutsu just now…" He didn't have enough time to finish his train of thoughts as Yuki seemed to disappear with the same speed he had shown before. Kakashi flipped backwards off his branch, catching another and looping around it once before dropping down onto a fairly thick limb. Yuki came out of his dive onto the branch Kakashi had formally occupied, with a wakizashi (1) in his hand. A small rip was visible on Kakashi's sleeve, though the blade hadn't reached down to his skin.

"Yuki-san!" Kakashi called, somewhat uncertainly.

"Hatake," Yuki said, suddenly appearing behind him. Kakashi spun around to face the masked elite ninja. "Are you intending to die so early?" Kakashi pushed off the wood just in time to lift his feet above the slicing sword. He landed on another branch slightly higher than the last.

"No," Kakashi replied.

"Then fight." The answer was cold and demanding. Kakashi met the short sword this time with his kunai, the two blades grinding against each other for a moment. Yuki pushed him off balance and they fell down together. Kakashi saw Yuki pull out a shuriken and flick it at his unprotected torso. Acting quickly, he lifted up his foot and the metal clanged against the shuriken that he always kept in the sole of his shoes. Kakashi let the wakizashi slip down and caught Yuki's shuriken. He then threw both shuriken and kunai at Yuki's back, but they hit a kawarimi.

Kakashi landed abruptly and while trying to search for Yuki, he vaulted back from the territorial line he had almost crossed again. Using the branches, he sprang away, and not soon after, he was forced to dodge a number of weapons while still moving away from the east line.

Yuki suddenly appeared directly in front of him, and the quick kick was impossible to avoid. Kakashi brought his hands up by reflex, which absorbed most of the force, but he was still shoved back against the tree trunk. He didn't wait to try and get his knocked out breath back. Gathering chakra on his hands and feet, he flipped 180 degrees, sticking to the tree with the chakra, and so avoiding the wakizashi that created a deep gash into the wood.

As soon as the sword was out of harms way, Kakashi pushed his feet off the tree and swung it down with as much force and speed as he could gather, towards Yuki's shoulder. The ANBU was quicker though, and leapt back, flicking a kunai. Kakashi landed in a crouch and caught the weapon, immediately throwing it back. Yuki disappeared, the weapon sticking into the wood with a dull thud. Kakashi pivoted on his left foot, his right swinging in a smooth arc and connected with Yuki's metal arm protector. He was getting used to the speed and pattern of the ANBU. He suddenly noticed a small green gem embedded in the golden ring hanging on Yuki's left ear. Had that been there before?

He was given much time to ponder over it, as Yuki took a small jump back and brought his hands together in seals that Kakashi wasn't familiar with. The affect was quick though, as he suddenly found himself in the midst of a whirlwind. It wasn't as simple as a normal gust of wind, he quickly figured. In the span of a few seconds, he found movement an impossible choice. The wind just came from every direction, restricting any possibility of moving, and he could feel the chakra mixed in the air.

Squinting through all the dust and small twigs, Kakashi saw Yuki standing near the trunk with his arms crossed, observing. Moving forcefully caused small cuts into his skin, sharp enough to draw blood. He grit his teeth, his mind racing, trying to find a solution.

…_The only thing that can really slow down wind is water…_

The sudden memory of the past struck him. Midori had said that during their training, as she had often manipulated the wind with chakra. _Water…_ he thought. _There isn't any though…_He happened to glance down at that moment, and his eyes widened. _Snow!_

Bracing himself against the stinging pain of the cuts, Kakashi stepped off the branch, his body tumbling down from the high branch. The wind kept up with his fall and he landed on his knees in the deep snow. Ignoring the increase of small wounds along his arms, Kakashi went through hand seals. _Katon Housenka no jutsu_. He kept the power to a minimum, and the balls of flame spread out around him, melting the snow. It was obviously only a small amount of water that was created, but even a little was enough to allow Kakashi to escape the wind enclosure. As soon as he was out, Kakashi threw himself across the snow, barely managing to avoid the wakizashi that pierced the ground. He didn't waste time staying still though, and he immediately created several replicas. They all went different ways, making their way up the trees, back to where Yuki was.

"Impressive Hatake," Yuki said, the divided winds already settling down. Kakashi's copies all disappeared in puffs of smoke as well. Although as one, the wind could trap him, but divided, it would be nothing more than the level at which Midori had used. Kakashi landed further out of the branch Yuki stood on, looking more ragged than before with all the small cuts, the latter noted, but his breathing hardly different. "But will your stamina hold out?"

Without warning, the ANBU charged Kakashi, and they once again came into taijutsu combat, the former now constantly pushing the boy, forcing him to push himself to the limit and also making him run. Will _you make it until sunset, Hatake?_ Yuki asked silently. _There's at least six hours left…_

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**Translations:  
**(1) Wakizashi: a short sword in the style of a katana, but much smaller. But it's still bigger than a tantou.

**Everyone** thanks for your feedback! My interpretations of the Jounin Exam has officially begun!

**Leilani**: As always, thanks for the review!! Pakkun…yep, I'll make sure to add him in for the sequel!  
**sUmbOdi**: Thanks! Not too quick, but updates sure came!  
**Rurikat**: Yeah, Kakashi and Obito are kind of highly skilled for their standards…Thanks for your review though! The review isn't what counts. I'm happy merely since your reading!  
**HikaruOfArrow**: Thanks for reviewing! Um…Team 7 huh….I may, I don't know…I know that I'll definitely write about Kakashi's ANBU years, but I honestly don't know yet. If I get create ideas of how I might be able to change the storyline, I might, or make a completely new AU story. I'll tell you when I've made up my mind!  
**Katzuki**: lol. Yeah, Kakashi _was_ a bit mean…Anyways, thanks for always reviewing!!  
**Alana**: wow…That was long. Hehe. But thanks! I really appreciated everything you wrote, especially the compliment about the fighting scenes. Thanks you so, so much! At times I thought I was writing too much of them when a lot of people would hardly even understand what was written. I'm glad you told me! I honestly love your review! And, it's the 100th review!! (hugs very tightly) Again, thank you very, very much!!  
**Chaotic Demon**: Ooh. Nice idea! Will have a think about that! Thanks for the review!

Thanks again!  
-Fanyar-


	26. Chapter TwentySix

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

With one hand placed against a tree to keep his balance, Kakashi leaned over his front, his other hand resting against his slightly bent knee. His breaths came in quick, ragged breaths, each one being accompanied with a cloud of white vapour though his mask. Large, wet flakes of snow fell around him, and the cold had almost doubled towards evening, but he didn't notice a difference. The blood raced through his body, his movements keeping him warm. Beads of sweat clung to his forehead and dampened his silver hair.

His clothes were torn at several places and dried blood stained them in certain areas. He considered it lucky that there were no serious injuries, maybe just three or four deep or long cuts. Still, the cold was numbing the pain so it was easier for him to ignore them.

As he struggled to regain his breath, Kakashi was careful to keep his senses alert. He found it hard to maintain his concentration, but as the hours had dragged by, he figured out that it wasn't impossible. His surroundings were now dark, as the sun had well set in the west. Only the snow prevented it from being completely black. Without turning around, Kakashi's trained ears picked up the sharp whistling of shurikens cutting through the air coming from behind. Quickly he straightened, and brought his hands together to create a set of hand seals. The weapons dug deep into the snow, all traces of the Chuunin gone.

Higher up in the branches, Kakashi appeared again, a kunai in his hand, momentarily soaring over Yuki, then landing on the branch behind him. The ANBU mask cracked and broke away from Yuki's wide eyed face. It clattered down the tall tree, but he didn't take any notice.

"Kazuma-sensei's Shunshin no jutsu," Kakashi said, answering the silent, but obvious question. His breathing was now even quicker than before as he crouched. _But it's not complete and as fast as sensei's, and it also takes a large amount of energy to perform it._ He added silently.

"That technique," Yuki muttered, finally starting to get over the shock and he turned around to face Kakashi's hunched back. "Did he teach that to you?"

"No," was the only reply he gave between the short gasps of breath. He had obviously seen it being used by his teacher, but he had done the research himself. To help him learn the technique, he had observed and attempted to copy. The latter choice had been rather difficult to do though, for the obvious reason. There were very few people who could follow Kazuma's speed when he didn't want them to. In fact, Kakashi could only guess about one or two people.

Kakashi struggled to calm his breathing finding it more difficult than he had thought it would be. Maybe he had pushed himself a bit too far over the limit. Only his strength of will got him moving again, jumping over a number of weapons, all in quick succession. His advantage during this long term fight was that he was now almost familiar with Yuki's tactics and speed, as he had been the one who usually attacked. The feint strike and actual snap kick was somewhat predictable and Kakashi flipped over the ANBU and pivoted on his right foot. His left heel was caught by Yuki's left hand, but he wasn't finished yet. Throwing his weight down on his captured foot, Kakashi braced himself on his hands and his right foot came vertically upwards, connecting firmly with Yuki's jaw.

The ANBU stumbled back, released his hold on Kakashi, but his hands were engaged in forming hand seals, too quick to follow and predict the technique. Kakashi's posture was low to the branch, muscles tense and ready. The second Yuki's chest expanded and his hand moved to his mouth, Kakashi realised what technique he was going to use. As quickly as he could manage, he went through a set of seals, but not before the huge blast of fire started to streak across towards him. He hesitated. This wasn't the Goukakyuu. It was too large, too dense to be. His mind raced. Being this close, the possibility of dodging without being scathed was down to zero. If he dodged normally, that is. The finished the last seal. _Shunshin no jutsu_.

The speed of the technique got Kakashi mostly out of the fire's pathway, but his weariness and imperfection of the technique caused his left hand to linger half a second too long, too low. Collapsing on a tree not far away, Kakashi clenched his teeth together, his right hand pressing down on his left forearm. The burn wasn't too bad, although his sleeve now hung half ripped and hanging off his arm. He locked gazes with the ANBU, who hadn't moved except for turning to look up at him.

Kakashi stiffened when he disappeared and didn't immediately show up again. He listened intently over the hammering of his hear in his chest, but he could feel his concentration slipping rapidly now, nearly being overwhelmed by his physical tiredness. He was quite startled therefore, when Yuki suddenly dropped down right in front of him. Kakashi started, jerking to his feet and his hand withdrawing a kunai. He was rather surprised when Yuki just grinned.

"Well done," he praised. "You're stamina is beyond expectations." When Kakashi still didn't relax, he laughed and added, "Don't worry, I won't attack you or anything. You can put that away." He indicated to the kunai held at ready. Kakashi lowered it, but didn't put it away.

"What was that last technique?" he asked, mostly out of simple curiosity.

"Karyuu Endan," Yuki replied. "Surprised you got away with only that. Then again, Shunshin _is_ a very advanced technique."

"Karyuu Endan?" Kakashi repeated, wondering if all ANBU members were capable of performing such high standard techniques. Especially when it was a speciality of the Uchiha clan…Then it hit him, right smack in the face. "You're from the Uchiha clan."

"Bingo," Yuki responded, his face breaking into a smile. "My real name is Uchiha Masayuki. But it's just too long, so everyone calls me Yuki. I like it better as well. I happen to be Uchiha Obito's second cousin."

"You didn't use the Sharingan though," Kakashi pointed out.

"Ah yeah, no I didn't. Or, more correctly, I can't. I'm not as gifted as Obito, at least in that area." He sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "Anyways, I'll see you later. Get some rest!" In a small puff of smoke, he disappeared, leaving Kakashi alone once again.

Instead of trying to think about the pieces of information he was given, Kakashi made his way down the tall trees and down to the snow packed ground. There he buried his throbbing left forearm into the cold snow, trying to ignore the shiver than ran through his body. While he kept his arm in the snow, he unwrapped the bandages around his right calf with his free hand. He stuffed them into the snow as well. He remained still for a few minutes before he took out his arm and wrapped the slightly wet and cold bandages around the burn.

After he had finished with that, Kakashi looked around for a place that was even a little warmer and concealed. In a few minutes, he came across a deserted den that had been dug under and around the roots of a very broad tree. The opening wasn't too big, but he managed to slip inside and found it dry, warm and cosy. Immediately, he collapsed against the low wall and closed his eyes. He remained sitting upright with his right knee propped up, his right arm resting on it. Kakashi fought the wave of weariness and threats of deep sleep. He couldn't afford to fall into a deep slumber, when he was alone and outside the Konoha gates. So with some difficulty, he managed to keep it to a light dozing.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Kakashi didn't know how long it had been since he had started to doze off, but he had recollections of often being on the verge of waking up. He quickly opened his eyes, the tingling feeling of warning still tickling the back of his neck. He got onto his hands and knees and crawled to the small opening, pushing his back against the wall, his head turned to peer cautiously out of the hole. His body was stiff and slightly aching, and there was a constant throbbing in his bandaged left arm, but he pushed those matters away.

Someone was close by.

He had no idea what time it was, as it didn't seem any lighter outside than it was inside. He heard the faint scrunching of snow being treaded on, and after a while, he saw the pair of feet heading straight to his small hiding place. Kakashi bit his lip, criticising his foolish mistake when he had picked this small den. True it was quite well concealed, it was warm and to an extent safe, but there was one big flaw: there was only one exit and entrance. How easy it would be for enemy ninjas to throw in a poison gas or explosive. He would be a fleeing prey, leaping out into their waiting blades.

His hand slid down to his considerably thinner holster, hooked his finger into the loop of a kunai and silently slipping it out. He made a quick, half conscious mental note to go back to the battle area and pick up the discarded weapons, if he had the time and opportunity. He started to count down the number of steps it would take the person to reach him. Again, hardly consciously, he recognised the person as Yuki. He eased himself as close to the dirt wall as he could get.

The footsteps stopped, right outside the opening. Kakashi gripped the kunai tightly, not daring to breath.

"Morning Hatake!" Yuki called cheerfully, poking his beaming, unmasked face into the small den. As soon as the first strand of hair came inside, Kakashi's weapon jerked up, and the tip of the blade now rested very lightly over the ANBU's windpipe. One simple stab was all it would take to kill him. Yuki froze, eyeing the kunai at his throat, but still smiling rather pleasantly. Kakashi's didn't allow himself to relax.

"You don't have to look at me like that, you know," Yuki said. "Anyways, come out." He withdrew his head and disappeared. Kakashi followed him carefully. "How long does it take for you to go from here and to the North-eastern border?" Yuki asked suddenly, fiddling with the balanced mask on his head.

Kakashi paused a moment, recalling the mission that took them to the top of Cloud country. It seemed so long ago. "A little over half a day," he replied.

Yuki grinned. "I'm going to cut that to ten hours and add a rule." Kakashi didn't bother asking, knowing he would be told in any case. "You are to stay within my Genjutsu."

Kakashi was taken a back, but covered it quickly with a dry remark. "To test what? How long I can endure torture before I spit out information?" Yuki laughed, and at least Kakashi was given the time to think over the real reason the ANBU was going to do this. Or, for that matter, he wondered more on how many illusions he would use – if Yuki was expecting to have him run the right direction in completely different landscapes, he was surely being too expectant.

"I like your humour, Hatake," Yuki commented as his laughter subsided into a quiet fit of chuckles. He finally took a deep breath and calmed down. "No, no. You'll see the point soon. It won't be drastic illusions, don't worry."

He brought his hands together and they flashed through a set of seals. The illusion started to take affect just as a part of the sun shone briefly through a gap in the clouds. The sunlight reflected off Yuki's golden earring for a second, and Kakashi glimpsed something that looked like a small piece of red jewel inserted in the gold. The brief thought reminded him of something, but he couldn't quite place a finger of it. It was as if this scene had already played out once before.

He pushed the thought out of his mind though, as the Genjutsu was completed. Yuki lowered his hands and grinned, fiddling with his ANBU mask. Kakashi looked to either side of himself and saw about a dozen Chuunin ninjas, all crouched low and fully equipped with weapons. Nothing else seemed to have changed. The sun disappeared again behind thick clouds, leaving the forest in a state of dull grey.

"So Hatake," Yuki said, fixing his mask over his face, "I'll enjoy watching your potential as a leader."

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WOW….0.0 I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!! It's an absolute record of having 12 people review for a chapter!!!!!!! (Hugs everyone VERY TIGHTLY). You're the best, all of you! Thanks you sooo much!!

I hope I got the second cousin part right…Meaning to say, is there such a thing in the family tree? I'm really bad at that kind of things since I don't have any cousins or nephews or things like that…-.-

**Leilani**: Oh, nice idea about his earlier teams. I think I'll use that one, if you don't mind. Hehe. Thanks for your review! Somehow, you seem to mostly be the one who reviews first!  
**Alana**: lol. Hope you had enough sleep! I personally prefer the kodachi, but I'm not quite sure that really exists…I know it from Rurouni Kenshin, but when I researched it, there wasn't much about it, expect the information on the anime sites…Oh well. Thanks again for your review!  
**Littleadryan**: Hm…Thanks about the fiction reminder. That's something I haven't thought about before. Lol. Really, thanks for telling me! And of course, thanks for reviewing! Hope you enjoyed catching up! (wink)  
**Katzuki**: Thanks for both your review and compliment on the fight scenes! It really makes me happy. No, not much on Obito. Going to focus more on Kakashi this time.  
**HikaruOfArrow**: hehe, thanks!  
**NefariousPhoenix**: Thanks a bunch for reading and reviewing! I try to update as much as possible, though it's been getting tough with school and riding. But the good news is, holidays are coming up soon, and (not so good, but quite good) I've cracked a bone in my foot so I can't go riding…Meaning I'll have some more time to write!  
**Patty**: Thanks for your review and compliments! Kakashi and Obito are great. It's just so much fun writing about them. Lol.  
**Rurikat**: Thanks! My screen's too far to hug. Lol! Glad you like it!! Personally, I can't really write about people who don't have a personality. So I think something up, and unless I write it down, it'll keep changing. hehe  
**sUmbOdi**: Hehe, though it took about a week, updates are here!! Thanks for the review and I hope you enjoyed the new chapter!  
**Chaotic Demon**: lol! Thanks!!  
**Sano**: Glad you like it! Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks for reviewing!  
**HotShot14**: Thanks for reading and reviewing!! Yup, I have my idea for the Sharingan transfer. It's already established though I'm constantly tinkering with the details.

-Fanyar-


	27. Chapter TwentySeven

**Chapter Twenty-Seven:**

"Leader?" Kakashi asked.

"Yes," Yuki replied. "You get your team to the North Eastern border in ten hours. Simple, isn't it?" He produced two handfuls of weapons, and gave it to Kakashi. "Your weapons from yesterday."

"And what will you be doing?" He took the kunais and shurikens and put them away into the holsters with a nod of thanks.

"You'll find out." He could imagine the grin spreading out on Yuki's face.

"Meaning you won't just sit back and watch," Kakashi muttered.

"Correct." The ANBU turned around and bent his knees a little, about to jump into the trees when he paused and said over his shoulder, "Oh and, these guys are shinobi who have just made it into the Chuunin status." Then he was gone.

"Hatake-san." The formal addition to his name had a very strange ring in his ears. He turned to glance at the ninjas, who were obviously all older than himself. In their mid teens, he guessed. They all seemed to be asking him for directions. He sighed and slipped his hands in his pockets by habit.

"You all heard him," he said. "We only have ten hours. Whatever comes in our way we don't waste any time and unnecessary energy. I'll set the pace. Anyone who can't keep up come tells me. We travel in a single line; keep your guard up. No body leaves the group without my permission and no one acts on their own accord. Questions?"

It would have been a very strange sight to see. A young boy, not even in his teens giving orders to ninjas five or six years older than himself. It wouldn't have been so bad were they all ten or fifteen years older, but plainly speaking, their leader was a ten year old. Anyone would frown in wonder if they saw the scene.

No one spoke up, so Kakashi leapt up onto the tree branches, setting quite a challenging pace. He could feel all the others following closely behind him. His muscles ached at first, but after a quarter of an hour his body got used to moving again. Though the clouds were dark and heavy, the air was dry, hinting no snow for a while. The branches were wet and slippery though, and it was impossible to go without leaving tracks, even though Kakashi did his best to land on bare areas.

It didn't seem very long before the predicted happened. Kakashi tensed, his hand jerking out a kunai and bringing it to his side to stop a few shuriken that flew at them. Barely a second after, someone shouted behind and he immediately halted the group. Everyone turned around to the rear of the short line to see the second last ninja on his knees, his eyes glazed over. Genjutsu? A two layered illusion? He didn't have long to think about it, since a rain of shuriken flew down at them. Kakashi spun around again adding another kunai in his spare hand, deflected them.

"Someone take off the illusion on him!" he shouted while he was in the air.

"We can't!" someone shouted back.

"What?" Kakashi landed and looked back with a frown. Troubled expressions were all he got from the group. Without waiting, he leapt back, knowing fully well that another volley of needles was coming right at him. "Take over at front," he shouted quickly to the first five he passed. He vaguely heard them call an affirmative as he rushed to the back. The shinobi's face was contorted with strain, his hands gripping the wood so hard the knuckles were white. He looked pale and his breaths came in short gasps. The last Chuunin was supporting him.

Kakashi dropped down beside him and brought his right hand up close to his face, the middle and index finger upright. He closed his eyes, feeling the mix of chakra, trying to make out the two different illusions. It would have been easy to just break both of them, but all the older Chuunin were in that Genjutsu. When he found the correct layer, his eyes snapped open. _Kai_.

The ninja jerked and blinked, his eyes coming back into focus. "Hatake-san…"

"Let's go," Kakashi said quickly, leaving them and heading back up the line. He titled his head to the side quickly, but a kunai left a very thin cut on his cheekbone. His eyes narrowed in thought. As he had predicted earlier, the weapons were real. If Yuki had not made that a part of the illusion, then that would mean he was somewhere close by, being the source of the attacks.

That meant…Kakashi stopped on a branch slightly higher than the level the others were on and looked around. His right fingers slowly curled around the center hole of a shuriken, his eyes moving gradually in a semi circle before him. In one quick, fluid motion, Kakashi took aim and threw the shuriken. Without waiting, he dropped back down to the group and they continued.

Further away, Yuki grinned pulling off his mask and tracing a very shallow cut across it with his finger. Glancing to his side, there was a shuriken stuck deep into the trunk. Still grinning, he slipped the mask into place and with a small jerk pulled out the weapon. _Geez Hatake, I _just_ got a new mask last night since you broke my old one and now you've already damaged it. If I hadn't have known you were aiming at me, this would have gone straight into my head. But also, only if you really had the intention of killing me._ With a slow shake of his head, Yuki disappeared, following the group.

After a small while of peace, Kakashi and his group came across surroundings filled with traps. He stopped and the others came together in a small circle behind him. He took a moment to look around and could already see a number of consecutive triggers and connected wires. It would be too dangerous to just run through it.

"You know about traps, don't you?" Kakashi asked, not really expecting any answers. It was an obvious question, which he didn't really consider a question at all. "We'll make our way carefully though this." It was certainly better than risking lives and making a huge crisis. They lost almost half an hour making it passed the stretch of professionally made traps. The Chuunins skills of identifying traps and traps of traps were surprisingly low, whether Yuki was purposefully making it like that or not. It was unnatural in the first place to have a team of thirteen ninjas when they were competing against time.

After the more detailed traps, at least half of the ninjas fell into trap holes with sharp bamboo blades at the bottom. Then came a snow avalanche, then they were disturbed by trees cracking right around them, then they got stuck in another few layers of illusions that Kakashi had to release, then a sudden lightning storm (the electricity seeming to aim just at them), then whatever they stepped on became ice. By sunset Kakashi was in a very foul mood, pointedly at Yuki who he could imagine was having so much fun setting up such _unrealistic_, downright _stupid_ obstacles. Most of them were added effects to the illusion the Chuunins belonged to and he could feel that. Especially towards the end of the day, Kakashi had quite some trouble suppressing the reflex of just taking the whole Genjutsu down.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Kakashi did his best to clear his clouded mind and glanced up at the sky. It was dark already. Sunrise was at eight o'clock and sunset was around five. Half an hour had passed since the sunset so he had thirty minutes left. They weren't far from their destination, but they wouldn't make it at their current pace. He glanced over his shoulder at his team and saw them struggling against their weariness.

"Another thirty minutes," he called. "We need to go a bit faster to make it in time." He himself was thoroughly tired, the strains from a full day fight coming down on him all at once. Nevertheless, he quickened their speed and the others followed suit without complaint.

As most of the thirty minutes had gone past, Kakashi was relieved to see the trees finally thin out and he could occasionally glimpse the vast, dark scene that looked like nothing, but he knew was the sea. The others seemed to regain some motivation now as they sprinted on.

Kakashi suddenly tensed when he felt a strong burst of chakra coming from directly in front of them. _Wind_. He didn't have time to think or warn the others – he doubted that they would have noticed. On the next step he made, he braced himself as best he could, his arms coming up by simple reflex. The gust of wind struck him with a surprising force that knocked him completely off his feet and threw him over the Chuunins. He crashed into a broad tree trunk, the impact knocking the air out of him.

"Hmm…Interesting. You took the wind to protect your team." Kakashi looked around to see Yuki standing on a high, thin branch in front of the stopped Chuunins.

"Hatake-san!" A few ninjas called out, the others pulling out weapons and facing the ANBU. Kakashi coughed, using the trunk as a support to push himself onto his feet. Lifting his eyes he stared at Yuki's masked face for a moment. I see. Whether I made it here on time or not, you still intended to interfere.

"Go!" he shouted to the team. "Get past him while I distract him."

"But what about you?"

"'You get your team to the North Eastern border in ten hours'. That was the mission he gave me. _Team_ doesn't include me. Now go! You're running out of time!" Kakashi bit his lower lip to completely clear his head and gather his concentration.

"No," the shinobi responded. Kakashi looked at them in surprise.

"What?" he muttered, a frown pulling on his features.

"We aren't abandoning you."

"It isn't abandoning," he replied. "The mission doesn't include me getting over there. If I don't stop him he's not going to let you through."

"It doesn't matter!" they shouted. "A mission isn't as important as lives!" Silence followed.

"Remaining one minute," Yuki said.

"Hatake-san! We can work together and beat him!"

"We can still make it!"

"Please let us!"

Kakashi's fist smashed into the trunk causing bits of it to splinter. His eyes snapped opened and he glared at the older boys with such ferocity it made them all shut their open mouths.

"Idiots," he said sharply. "A shinobi must sometimes sacrifice comrades if it allows the mission to be accomplished. That's the law." He briefly met all their eyes, daring them to try and challenge him. No one did. "Go!" he snapped and they leapt away.

Yuki sent a gust of wind at them, but Kakashi countered it with the Goukakyuu, allowing them to slip passed the ANBU. The force of the collision pushed Kakashi backwards but he managed to get his feet to connect firmly to a tree, which allowed him to push off again. Flicking out two kunais from his back pouch, he cross his arms and threw them at Yuki. They were avoided and struck the tree, and not a second later, they exploded, damaging the tree to quite some extent.

Yuki jumped out of the smoke, unscathed but instead of engaging Kakashi, he headed to hinder the other Chuunins who were almost at their destination. Kakashi cursed softly and his hands flicked though a set of seals. _Shunshin no jutsu_.

_Five seconds left_.

Just as Yuki reached out to grab the last Chuunin in line, Kakashi's fist connected with his mask. The ANBU stumbled back a step, but flicked a kunai at Kakashi, then pushed off again.

_Four_

Kakashi found that he couldn't dodge, yet again, since the others were behind him. Then again the distance was so shot the weapon would be in his throat before he could grab it. Doing the only thing he could do, he jerked his left, bandaged forearm up and took the kunai there. He winced at the pain but he was already moving to intercept Yuki.

_Three_

_Doton Iwatou no jutsu_. Yuki barely missed having a sharp dirt mound drilled through his chest. His hands became blurred with his seals as Kakashi sprinted towards him. At the last moment he stiffened and quickly jumped vertically upwards as a gust of wind scraped below him. He immediately cursed inwardly for his careless mistake as another gust came from above him, trapping him in the wind jail.

_Two_

Kakashi didn't have the time to create water. As he ran against the wind receiving cuts all over his body, he reached weapons attached with wire. The team was just a few meters away. His legs buckled.

_One_

Holding the wires in one hand, the kunai still sticking in his left forearm, Kakashi bit his lips and closed his eyes. He formed seals, quicker this time, his hands moving as a blur. He could only hope he would make no mistake and that his strength would hold out, as well as his chakra level. _Shunshin no jutsu!_

_Zero_

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I'm so sorry! First, for being soo late and Second for the cliffy!!!! My full apologies!!!!!!!

**Leilani**: hehe. Thanks for reviewing!  
**Rurikat**: Mm…Updates were late, I'm truly sorry, but hope you enjoyed! Thanks for the review!  
**Sano**: lol. Yep, I love Kakashi too. Thanks for your review!  
**Katzuki**: hehe. Yeah, Yuki's great. It's really fun to write about him, if you get what I mean. Shunshin no jutsu. Sorry I didn't explain that. I don't know the translations but it does increase the speed, I do believe. I took it from the manga chapter 240. Anyways, thanks for reviewing!  
**NefariousPhoenix**: lol. Riding's difficult…o.O…Anyways, thanks for reviewing! Yeah I thought I'd be able to write more, but apparently my muse went to visit its grave.  
**Alana**: Thanks for reviewing again! Always makes me happy when you're happy! Lol.  
**sUmbOdi**: Thanks for the compliment and review! Glad you're really enjoying it!  
**Magicians of the Yami**: Thanks for the review! It doesn't matter at all. I'm glad you're following because you like it!  
**Littleadryan**: Thanks for the review! Hehe. Just glad you really like it! Yup, foot's much better!  
**Somebody You Know**: Thanks for reviewing! Happy you like it! Quick question: do I really know you, or it that just your name? Not meaning any offence…just curious…

Thanks a lot everyone for being patient!!  
-Fanyar-


	28. Chapter TwentyEight

**Chapter Twenty-Eight:**

For a moment, the air was completely still. As if the time had been stopped. Then slowly, everything came back. The waves could be heard crashing into the rocky cliffs, the breeze whistled through the bare trees, heavy snow slid off the thinner branches landing with a dull thud on the snow packed ground. And there was breathing. The sharp inhale and exhaling of a group of people disturbed the natural evening noises, unable to blend in with the harmony. But the owners of the breathing didn't talk. No one dared to even move or make a sound. Each listened to the wild drumming of their hearts pounding in their chest.

Yuki stood frozen in a slightly forward leaning position, and just beyond the last tree line were the Chuunin ninjas, almost piled on top of each other. Between them was Kakashi, two lines dug into the snow marking the length he had skidded. His legs were bent, his torso lowered, and wire was wrapped around his right hand. The tense line went through the hole of a kunai stuck in a tree trunk, looped around the ANBU's neck and was connected firmly to another kunai embedded in another tree. In Kakashi's left hand was a third kunai for emergency use.

Kakashi suddenly stiffened and he bit down on the drumming pain that shot through all parts of his body. The wire slipped off his hand, and the kunai dropped into the snow. He fought to keep his eyes focused but the wave of darkness was too big. Falling unconscious, he dropped to his knees then into the snow. Yuki fiddled idly with his earring while pushing up the mask and then pulled the wire loose. All the other Chuunins faded now, with the illusion and the two were the only ones left. The ANBU shook his head and knelt in front of Kakashi. He turned him around, resting the boy's head against his leg and Yuki placed a hand on his chest. The heart beat was unbelievably fast and even in his unconscious state, Kakashi's breathing was ragged, shallow, and quick.

"I thought he was meant to be a genius," Yuki muttered, lifting Kakashi up. It struck him how light and small he was, and it reminded him of the boy's actual age. "With this small body, no wonder it takes over to ensure survival." He frowned. "The Shunshin no jutsu, huh. I've heard about it. Unless it's used perfectly, the toll on chakra and strength is unbelievably high, though the speed is still very quick. He's used it…four times in two days without proper rest. Logically speaking fourth time shouldn't have worked at all." Yuki sighed, his face scrunched up into a, semi serious, troubled expression. "This is great," he continued to mutter to himself. "I'm forbidden to help him, but then again, I wasn't allowed to make those Chuunins so unreliable. Not to mention so many stupid obstacles…"

Making up his mind, Yuki went in search of a dry place to drop Kakashi off. After a couple minutes of the shelter hunt, the ANBU settled for a flat rock tilted against a large tree stump. The natural accident seemed to have happened long ago, since there were mosses growing on the sheltered side of the tree and rock. Knowing this made him feel a little more comfortable, knowing that the rock wouldn't crush them suddenly in the night. Ducking under the roof, Yuki laid Kakashi on the ground and then sat down, leaning his back against the tree stump. He slipped off his mask and dropped it at his side, then reached out to pull Kakashi's left arm towards him.

He carefully drew the kunai out of the forearm, then pushed up the sleeve to find a slightly damp bandage already wrapped around to his elbow. It was soaked in blood where the wound was. Yuki unrolled the bandage and took out a piece of folded cloth and pressed it against the wound. While he held it there for a while, he examined the burn. It wasn't bad, the skin wasn't unusually hot either. Reaching into his back pouch, he took out a clean roll of bandage and wrapped it firmly around the injury.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Kakashi regained consciousness and slowly opened his eyes. The cold assaulted him and a shiver ran through his body.

"Cold?"

Kakashi sat up and turned around to face Yuki who was casually sitting with his legs crossed. The mask was balanced on his right thigh.

"Quite," Kakashi replied dryly, his attention shifting as he noticed his treated arm. Yuki chuckled.

"Then," he said, leaning forward and resting his arms on his legs, "I'd better get the instructions over with quickly so we don't freeze to death. Not that there's a lot to tell you. Starting in ten minutes, you have to track me down and take this mask away from me (in one piece might I remind you)." He held up the animal mask as indications. "The limit is two days. If you don't manage, you fail this Jounin exam. Straight forward enough?"

"Very," he replied, propping up a knee and wrapping his arm around it while he stared out of the rock shelter at the darkness beyond. Yuki raised a curious eyebrow at Kakashi's sudden, queer behaviour. He guessed the reason and decided to bring it up.

"One more thing," he started, and it got Kakashi to glance at him with half interest. But the look of such childish sulking and stubbornness made him fall into a fit of quiet laughter.

"What?" Kakashi demanded.

"Nothing," Yuki replied, easing the laughter into silent chuckles. Finally he took a deep breath and continued. "Listen, I wasn't officially meant to give you such an unreliable, large group of ninjas for that last test. Neither was I allowed so many obstacles, considering your number and ability, not to mention how idiotic some of them were." At this Kakashi gave Yuki a rather nasty look. "Oi, don't give me that look. Keep listening. The thing is, I'm officially not allowed to help you in any way or form whatever condition you're in. But if I had left you out there you probably would have frozen over, plus by the time you woke up, that injury would have been quite an emergency. See where I'm getting?"

"No."

"Yes you do, you little brat," Yuki said, hitting him upside the head. Kakashi nursed the victimised area of his head with a hand while he continued to half glare at the ANBU. "So we're even now. You don't go telling anyone that I had a bit of fun with your test _and_ you won't tell anyone that I practically saved your life."

"Taking me out of the snow and treating a wound isn't considered 'saving one's life'," Kakashi objected. "I doubt it hasbeen an hour since I passed out."

"Hah, wrong there little genius," Yuki corrected. "Nine hours."

Kakashi's eyes widened as he stared at the older shinobi. "You're kidding."

"Why should I be?" he asked. Then he took a more serious tone of voice. "I'll advise you not to use that Shunshin no jutsu anymore until either you've perfected it or you've grown at least three or four years. Using it so much right now is a big risk to your body."

"I know."

"But then again, you would have failed that last test if you hadn't have used it," Yuki added with a grin and a shrug. Kakashi had no way of telling if nine hours was even the truth, but somehow he didn't doubt it. "Well then, I'll be off," the ANBU said, fixing his mask into place then crawling out of the shelter. He stretched his upper body and arms once he was outside then waved back to Kakashi. "Come when you think ten minutes are over. I won't mind giving you a handicap." Kakashi rolled his eyes at the cocky statement and watched as Yuki chuckled a bit then disappeared. Despite the obvious skill, Yuki resembled Obito so much in character.

"I wonder if the whole clan has that same aspect in their personalities," Kakashi muttered under his breath as he subconsciously rubbed his left forearm.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

_Kai_. Immediately after breaking the illusion before it took affect, Kakashi threw his weight to the right, a kunai missing his face by a hairs width. He jerked his head up and scanned the area but no one was there anymore. He clenched his teeth and got back onto his feet, brushing off the snow that stuck to his trousers. He reached over his torso with his right hand and gripped the kunai that was embedded into the tree trunk right behind him. He sighed quietly and leaned back against the tree, tilting back his head to look up at the thin grey clouds. In the distance he could catch small holes revealing a blue sky.

_Midday_, he guessed half minded. A day and a night had already passed since the start of this mask hunt. Only after about an hour since the beginning had he begun to realise how difficult this was. Not only did Yuki leave almost no trace of himself, even if Kakashi had managed to catch him, there was no chance of him getting _near_ the mask. Nineteen failed attempts in the last thirty three hours. This marked the twentieth. Kakashi's grip of the kunai tightened and he yanked it out of the wood. There wouldn't be a twenty first failure.

Slipping the weapon into his holster for now, Kakashi pushed off the branch and pursued the ANBU. They were currently quite close to the Eastern line that was his boundary. He followed the sparse tracks, but being tricked by false leads. Swerving away from freshly dropped snow on a low branch, he headed about twenty degrees to the south, getting ever nearer to his terrain border. He idly wondered if Yuki was doing that to try and get him over the line into disqualification of the exam. The landscape became a little more familiar as they drew closer to the village from the country's northern borders. Increasing his speed, he finally closed the gap to Yuki.

Noticing a double trap with explosives at the last minute, Kakashi stopped abruptly and vaulted vertically upwards and around the threat without commotion. Up ahead he saw a glimpse of what he assumed was Yuki.

Keeping careful watch ahead, Kakashi pulled out several weapons and wires, quickly pulling the latter through various holes and knots. He quickened his pace even further and brought his right arm over his left shoulder, poised for throwing. Instinctively knowing the perfect timing, he let the kunai in his right hand fly. The aim was exact, but Yuki avoided it with ease, not looking back. He was caught a bit by surprise when the explosive talisman went off.

Kakashi leapt straight through the smoke, the explosion allowing him to catch up completely with the ANBU. The two of them burst out of the cloud and Kakashi filled his hands with wired weapons. This wasn't exactly his way of fighting, but it was the one idea he hadn't tried so far. The shurikens and kunai sliced the air, and with subtle twists and twitches of his wrists, hands and finger, he could somewhat control the direction of the weapon volley. Yuki pushed of a branch and leapt over the attack, the weapons sticking into the branch. With larger movements from his whole arm now, Kakashi yanked them out of the wood and swung his left arm weapons at Yuki's new position. It was once again dodged, but Kakashi had his right side weapons coming in at the ANBU while he was in midair, which sealed off his ability to move so quickly and agilely. The weapons made a hedgehog of a kawarimi log. Kakashi cursed softly and hissed through clenched teeth. He landed on a branch and looked around himself.

Yuki peered up from the ground, carefully hidden behind trees and piles of snow. Kakashi quickly rolled the wires together and leapt away to the north. Yuki shook his head slowly and relaxed. Pushing away from the tree, he was about to start running again when a shuriken whistled from his right. He caught it cleanly between his thumb and index finger and glanced in the direction it came from. Suddenly catching a presence behind him, Yuki spun around and saw Kakashi more than half way through his swing, his fist less than ten centimetres from his face.

The ground suddenly shuddered beneath them, as, to their side, something seemed to have exploded. Snow and wet dirt rose into the air like a fountain. Kakashi's head jerked to the site of eruption involuntarily, and his attack and plan forgotten, he rammed straight into Yuki, bringing them both into the snow. They scrambled out of the ditch hurriedly.

"Who's having a rough midday exercise out here?" Yuki muttered to himself, though his voice was somewhat tensed, the possibility of enemies penetrating his thoughts. His role as the examiner was momentarily forgotten, and Kakashi's attention was also drawn away from the exam. They suddenly heard a strained voice coming from the settling spray of snow.

"Ooow, that really hurt," the voice groaned, then coughed. A hand came out of a small crater in the snow and gripped a nearby, distorted root of an old tree. "I would serious pound him if I could. Ow…lucky to have such soft, emergency landing."

Kakashi's eyes widened in surprise. He knew this kind of strange, dry humour. As the owner of the hand heaved himself out of the pit, Kakashi's predictions were proved correct.

"Obito," Kakashi said.

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Happy New Year everyone! I wish you all the best in the upcoming year including good health, good luck and all in all, a successful 2005! Umm…and to start things off, I need to APOLOGISE!!!!!! I am sorry. Muse gone down a notch, mother was making party arrangements all the time, caught up in One Piece, stressing over the unstarted English book we needed to read, holiday homework, and stuff like that dragged me down...

Along with the fact that I'm finding the Jounin Exam rather hard to write about. Let me explain. Ahem. I hadn't originally planned to write about this, and so while I was doing earlier chapters, I didn't start planning these chapters. For example, while I was back there writing about Kakashi's team protecting Gamashi Kengou, I was already vaguely having a movie play out in my mind about how Midori was to die. Of course when I actually wrote it, there were major changes…But I had never tried to imagine this, so that's why I'm often stuck. (pout). Please forgive!!

**Sherlockian Slytherin**: hehe. Thanks a bunch for your review and compliments!!  
**Leilani**: As usual, thank you for reviewing! Ok, Somebody You Know mystery solved! Lol. Hmm…I must be getting cliff hanger attacks all of a sudden…Well, this one is kind of a cliffy…  
**Kagejin**: Thank you for reading and reviewing! Glad you like the exam! Yeah, I have difficulty keeping Kakashi a bit down with his skills…o.o…  
**Katzuki**: Thankies! Well, I had holidays…Now I'm back at school…  
**NefariousPhoenix:** Thanks again for reviewing and commenting!! Yeah, uh…muse is still a little down, probably since I'm finding it so hard to think what to do with the Jounin exam. Sharingan mystery is definitely going to come, though there's still a while until it does. But fear not! I'm planning and editing that area of the story every night before I sleep!  
**HikaruOfArrow:** Hehe. Glad you keep liking it!! Thanks for the review and motivation!  
**Magicians of the Yami**: Aww! I'm so sorry to keep you waiting so looong! Hope you enjoyed! Thanks for reviewing!!  
**Rurikat**: Thanks!! After reading the Kakashi Gaiden, I'm trying to slide in a few original characteristics in this story as well!  
**Alana**: wah! I feel so bad making you wait!! I'm truly sorry, but I hope you enjoyed! Thank you for your review!  
**Littleadryan:** Hmm…you guessed write for updates in 2005…o.o; Mmm…I don't mind the yaoi, but it gets kind of repetitive after a while…And the characters sometimes go ooc. Still, the good ones are really good…I'm not making sense. Anyways, thanks a bunch!  
**PLZ**: (big smile) Thank you very much! Hope you enjoyed the chapter!!

-Fanyar-


	29. Chapter TwentyNine

**Chapter Twenty-Nine:**

"Obito," Kakashi said. Hearing his name, the young Uchiha turned and saw his friend. He grinned.

"Yo Kakashi," he called. Kakashi hadn't noticed they had been so close to the border line. He only now realised the frozen river that separated them. Both he and Obito were just within a meter of getting failed. The snow had piled over the ice, but there was still a clear ditch in the ground. Obito looked quite battered with frequent rips in his clothes and a few cuts along his arms and face. Then he too, seemed to have noticed his current position and let out an alarmed scream, scrambling a few meters away and heaving a sigh. "Too close," he mutter.

Before Kakashi could say anything, they both snapped back into concentration when they were about to be caught in the middle of a crossfire. As soon as he had twisted away from Yuki's shurikens, another couple came flying from Obito's examiner. And, judging from Obito's short cry, Yuki's weapons seemed to have headed in his direction. Kakashi flattened himself against the snow, feeling the sharp edges briefly scraping his hair.

He heard the ANBU shift and start running and he jerked his head up, springing up at the same time. He narrowed his eyes, searchingly. When Yuki leapt up off the ground, Kakashi yanked his left arm back, feeling quite a resistance. Yuki had just touched the first branch when his right foot was snapped back, breaking down his balance. Kakashi sprinted forward as soon as his examiner was unbalanced and gaining momentum, leapt at Yuki, who was coming down. He grabbed the ANBU's shoulders and changed his motion direction to match his own. Kakashi saw him draw out a kunai, but he knew he would be quicker. When the weapon was halfway to his torso, Kakashi's knee smashed into Yuki's chest, sandwiched between the knee and a tree trunk.

Yuki stiffened and grunted, having receiving enough force to have the kunai fall from his hands. Kakashi waiting a second for the ANBU to start the downward descend, then sprang after him. Hooking a kunai in around his middle finger and slipping it out, he spun it once around, then took hold of it firmly in his right hand. He placed his left hand on Yuki's chest and lifted his other arm, then brought it straight down toward the ANBU's face. Faintly, he heard Obito shout something, but he didn't hesitate.

The kunai came down and sliced the string that held the ANBU mask against the face. The blade came extremely close to Yuki's ear and head, but his aim was exact and no damage was done. But he saw a green gem in the earring again. He made a very quick mental note to remember that. He knew something was irregular with the earring.

Yuki rolled in the air and landed smoothly on one foot and one knee, Kakashi coming down a moment later, the mask held in his left hand. The ANBU simply stared at the Chuunin for a while. Then, still not moving from crouch, Yuki reached to his right ankle and pulled loose a wire. Rolling his hand over so his palm faced the skies, he looked at the thin material, then back up at Kakashi. "…When?" he asked.

"In whatever situation, a shinobi must make the mission the first priority, right?" Kakashi replied, with a hint of a grin in his eyes. "When Obito crashed down." Yuki glanced at the other side of the frozen stream and saw the younger Uchiha watching them from a low branch (Obito gave a short shout of recognition when he got a clear look of Yuki's face, but the ANBU ignored it) . The other ANBU stood on a higher branch, scratching the back of his head in a sheepish manner. Knowing Obito, Yuki was sure he had made some deal with his examiner to be able to watch without being disturbed.

Yuki started to walk towards Kakashi, but the Chuunin held up the kunai he still held in a warning gesture. Yuki stopped and the held the boy's cool gaze. When he took another step closer, Kakashi bent his knees a little, sliding into stance.

"What's wrong?" Yuki asked, spreading his arms to either side as a sign of no aggression. Still, Kakashi didn't move and Yuki sighed, closing his eyes, then vaulting backwards into the bare trees. He reappeared a moment later, landing on Kakashi's right side now. The boy glanced at the ANBU, then immediately lowered his weapon and straightened.

Yuki grinned. "I find it difficult to fail you," he said, holding out a hand for the mask. Kakashi tossed it lightly back.

"Hey, Kakashi," Obito called, "you're in luck to end up with Yuki. He made it into the ANBU three years ago, but only _just_ and with a lot of negotiations!"

"Oi, don't mention the unnecessary facts!" Yuki shouted back.

Obito laughed. "Oh I'm sorry! Did I embarrass y – wah!" Obito arched his back and a kunai missed his chest by a few centimetres. The suddenly jerk caused him to lose his balance. Obito attempted to try and save himself by flailing his arms, but to no avail. With an irritated growl, he swung down and resorted to stick to the bottom of the branch and glare at Yuki. The ANBU glowered at his cousin as well, an angry vein throbbing on his temple.

"Ryo!" Yuki called to his colleague without breaking eye contact with Obito, "Go ahead and fail that arrogant little twert!"

"I'm trying to, Yuki-san," Ryo replied, "but he keeps getting lucky."

"I don't just keep getting lucky," Obito snapped, "I'm _skilled_!"

"Ha! That's so lame it won't even pass for a joke," Yuki retorted. The air sparkled in a line between their two fierce pairs of eyes and Kakashi looked on with mild curiosity. Ryo took this moment to commence the test and swiftly went in to attack Obito while he was distracted. The young Uchiha however, spun around, using the momentum to hurl a kunai into the attacking shuriken, sending them both spinning harmlessly away. He grinned, looking up at his masked examiner.

"I _did_ promise I would work harder, didn't I?" he mused, then his grin widened into a confident smirk. "And pass this exam."

"You'll need a lot of luck for that," Yuki said, his voice easily travelling the short distance to reach the other two. But to his slight surprise, Obito didn't react.

"Then, can we continue?" Ryo commented, more than asked. Without waiting for an answer, he leapt further up the tree and disappeared out of sight. Obito glanced over his shoulder at Kakashi and smiled in his cocky way. Then he too, made his way after the ANBU.

"Isn't it usually a teacher's wish to give as much points as possible?" Kakashi asked.

"True, but one, we aren't teachers," Yuki answered, and Kakashi agreed. "Two, our job as Jounin examiners is to try our best to fail, not pass the shinobi. That's why it was decided that ANBU members take the job, so only the best can be raised to the next level of ranks."

Kakashi didn't comment further as he clenched his jaws tightly to stifle a yawn. The weariness from the past days came down on his as a great weight, but he didn't dare let to show on the exterior. Still, he trudged through the thick snow and as casually as he could act, he leaned against a large tree. He felt that the snow was getting harder to walk through and he could well guess the true challenge of this exam.

Yuki stretched his arms, flexing the muscles between his shoulder blades, but his eyes were keenly on Kakashi. _Reached your limit?_ he silently asked. _But it isn't over yet. Far from it._ He sighed casually, deciding to be oblivious to Kakashi's obvious physical overload.

"Well then, since theirs about three days remaining, let's get on to the last test, shall we?" he said, resting his mask on top of his head out of habit. Kakashi didn't answer, but he knew the boy's attention was on him. "Eight scrolls. Go find them and hand them to Kazuma-san who will be waiting at the gate. He will be there from five minutes before sundown on your last day of this exam."

When Kakashi realised that this was all Yuki was going say, a small frown crossed his face. "There's miles squared even in this quarter of the Fire Country. How am I to look for these eight, specific scrolls?" he asked.

"Are you telling me you need a hint on how to find them?" Yuki challenged.

Kakashi hesitated a moment, but quickly decided that such small dignity could be thrown away for now. "Yes," he replied. Yuki studied the Chuunin for a moment, then started to recite something like a poem.

"Water falls from the sky,  
The land disappears,  
A crater in the surface,  
Death on the field.  
The head of a snake,  
An abandoned home,  
A breaking rock."

Kakashi's frown deepened.

"Those are the places where you'll find the scrolls," Yuki said. "For the eighth one, use common logic." He chewed his tongue for a moment, trying to see if there was anything else he needed to inform Kakashi of. Finding none, he shrugged. "Any questions before you begin?" Receiving nothing but a blank gaze, Yuki slid his mask down into place. "Then, I'll wish you good luck." With a curt wave of his hand, the ANBU disappeared.

Left alone yet again, Kakashi allowed his head to thump against the tree and he stared up at the grey clouds. He recited the strange code in his mind. Seven lines, each hinting the location of one of the scrolls. The eight, he was to use logic to find. Water that fell from the sky, disappearing land, a surface with a crater, a field of death, a snake's head, a home that's abandoned, and a rock that is breaking.

Water from the sky. Rain, puddles, which wasn't possible since all the recent rains were snow. Falling snow wouldn't indicate to one specific location either. The land disappears. Unable to see, mist, swamp. As far as he knew, there weren't any swamps in Fire Country. With the snow covering the ground, fog caused by the warmth of the ground and coldness of the air would also be impossible. A crater in the surface. He didn't understand that one at all. Crater in what surface? The ground? Death on a field. There were many deaths in this war, but many since the last major battle – the battle at the border of Fire, Rock and Cloud country!

So one scroll was probably there. Still, better to try and solve as many as possible before moving. The head of a snake. The reptiles wouldn't come out until spring. An abandoned home. Towns were located south and west of Konoha, and not even small villages were in the eastern area. So home, was to indicate animal dens? There could be hundreds. And finally, a breaking rock. Avalanches only occurred where there were rocky mountains, and rocks don't break naturally. Unless the waves tear them slowly apart in time. The coastline where… the land disappears.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. So he now knew two of the eight locations. The cold and slight wind was starting to feel chilly against him, but he still had some time before he was really cold. He shuffled the items around in his back pouch and after a moment found what he was looking for. He pulled out a scroll and pulled it open. It contained the basic map of Fire Country – it was always handy to have one or two maps. First he located his current location, then started to scan the eastern section.

Though he didn't find anything to help him figure out the other six locations, he noted the rough distance from where he was to his other two destinations. Doing a quick calculation in his head, he figured that he had about three and a half days. Yuki had said that Kazuma would be at the gates from five minutes before sundown, which meant that he couldn't go there early or late. He _had_ to go and give the scroll to his teacher within that five minute span. And then knowing Yuki, he was almost certainly sure that the ANBU would try and get the scrolls off of him if he found them.

Kakashi sighed, rolling the map back up and slipping into the pouch. He was getting colder now, and decided to start moving to keep him warm. Although his first desire was to rest, he pressed on, suddenly getting a peculiar feeling that this scroll hunt was not as easy as simply figuring out the hints and getting the items…

When Kakashi reached the coastline and found the scroll lying out in the open, the feeling increased, and as he reached out to get it, his predictions were proved correct. The scroll was being protected by some sort of barrier, which didn't allow his hand to go through. He bit his lower lip, closed his eyes and sighed a curse.

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Kind of common question I got was whether Obito had been failed. I probably should have written it more clearly, but no, he didn't. Kakashi and Yuki were very close to the border in any case, and as described in this chapter, Obito was safely _just_ on his side of the border.

**Leilani**: hope you enjoyed! And, as usual, thank you so much for always reviewing!  
**Alana**: hehe. Glad you're really liking it! Reassures me that my thinking during classes are coming along fine. Thanks, as always, for the review!  
**Rurikat**: Thankies! Nope, Obito isn't failed. I thought of the possibility, but I like him too much to have him fail!  
**Katzuki**: lmao! I understand your feeling about starting new stories! I often get stuck as well. Thanks for reviewing, and I'm glad you liked it!  
**HikaruOfArrow**: Thank you for your compliment! Keeps me reassured that you're really liking it! No no, I couldn't fail Obito, though it would have been a good plot twist. I'm starting to get anxious about writing the Sharingan exchange so I'm not going to add any more detours.  
**Chaotic Demon**: Is it me, or do other people really like Obito as well? Lol. Glad you are though. Yep, he's back, for a short moment. Thanks for reviewing!  
**sUmbOdi**: Doesn't matter about not reviewing, thanks for doing so now! But really, I'm content that you're reading and liking it!  
**NefariousPhoenix**: lol! Really, I love reading reviews that tell me the readers are enjoying the fic! (big hug). Thanks! Muse is starting to be revived! (hopefully). Answer's in chapter! Hehe.  
**Bily's Shadow**: heehee! First off, glad to have a new reader enjoying the story! Thanks for the reviews too! Yeah, I had no idea what his first name was, but yes, he is the future Yondaime. Hope you continue to like it!  
**BuGBiTe**: Hmm…I don't think the house roof type sign will come up in your name when I upload this, sorry…But, thanks for reading and reviewing the story! I hope you'll continue liking it!

Thanks everyone!!  
-Fanyar-


	30. Chapter Thirty

**Chapter Thirty:**

Kakashi opened his eyes and reached out again. Though he couldn't see anything, his hand was stopped and he felt something solid under his fingers. As he slid his hand across the invisible barrier, it went around in a small, rectangular box around the scroll. Figuring he wouldn't get through this in a very short period of time, he dropped to his knees in the snow, not really caring that his clothes would get wet soon. His muscles were worn out so much that he didn't have much choice in deciding whether to stay standing or not.

He closed his eyes and concentrated, searching for any kind of genjutsu. He sighed quietly when he figured out there wasn't one and bit his lip lightly in thought. Either it was a type of sealing jutsu, or –

"Chakra."

Kakashi hardly had to turn his head to see Yuki sitting comfortably on a fairly low branch belonging to one of the last trees capable of holding human weight. His left knee was propped up while his other hung off his seat. His arms were crossed over his chest and the ANBU mask balanced on the top of his head. The distance between the two was close enough for Kakashi to confirm the gem colour as red.

The strong wind blew from the raging sea, the clouds moving swiftly in the sky. Only his hitai-ate kept Kakashi's hair from poking his eyes and being tossed around. Bringing his gaze back onto the scroll, he began to think. The only way to cut through chakra would be to use chakra, externally. He had heard of highly skilled ninjas using the openings in their body to release chakra. Not holding much interest in it at the time, he hadn't gone through further research.

Kakashi held out of his hand to the invisible wall and as he turned his concentration inward, his eyes narrowed somewhat and became distant. He gathered chakra in his outstretched, right hand and didn't stop doing so until the skin began to prickle. He clenched his teeth, closing his eyes, and kept on concentrating all of his available chakra to the hand. The fingers soon began to tremble under some force and he gritted his teeth, as his first reaction was to simply let go. But he overrode the instinct and he snapped his eyes open to vaguely see blue chakra flaring around his hand. Quickly he swiped the chakra barrier and it ripped open.

He let go of the chakra with a heavy exhale of air he hadn't noticed he had been holding. He fell onto his hands and he took a moment to regain his breath. Yuki slowly, yet unconsciously uncrossed his arms and looked down at Kakashi with amazement in his eyes. In his three years of ANBU experience, he had tested 14 Chuunins. Five of them, he had failed after the seven days, four were failed during the exam, and he had allowed five to pass. But none of the shinobi who had gotten this far had managed to open the chakra barrier so quickly. Indeed, three of those who were failed during the week ended up that way because of this last test.

When Yuki came out of his thoughts, he saw that Kakashi had gotten back onto his feet, slipping the scroll into the holder on his Chuunin vest. The boy glanced up at him for a moment, then leapt away. The ANBU stared at the place Kakashi had been, as he finished his train of thoughts. "As expected of your son, Sakumo-san…" he murmured before getting up and following Kakashi.

The Chuunin had started to feel strangely rushed after he had gotten the first scroll. If all the other scrolls were likewise protected in some way or another, it wasn't guaranteed that three days would be enough time. Whether it had been luck or not, it was good that he had at least gotten one. Even as he travelled now, heading to the latest battle field, he recited the hint poem again, tracing all possibilities for the location of the other six, perhaps even seven.

As Kakashi landed on the last tree before the field, he stopped for a moment, his right hand placed lightly against the trunk. By now, he was thoroughly frustrated by the hints. He shook his head slowly, trying to cool his mind. He would definitely not figure anything out if he was clouded by irritation. Looking up, he stared at the snow covered field before him and his fingers tensed against the rough bark. It looked so peaceful, the snow smooth with only a few animal footprints crossing the surface. There was absolutely no sign of the battle that had occurred only a few months ago. No sign of the bloodshed, or the death toll. No sign of the suffering that had taken place.

Pushing such thoughts away to the very back of his mind, Kakashi scanned the area for a scroll. He dropped to the ground, landing quietly on his feet. But the moment his shoes touched the snow, his surroundings changed rapidly. He stiffened, watching the silent, snow covered field turn into a raging battle. The snow disappeared, cold rain poured over him, splattering against the mud, mixing with the blood. Shinobi from the different countries darted here and there, soaked and wounded, as people dropped to the ground one by one, dead. No, killed.

Kakashi immediately knew it was an illusion. But he stood frozen, his eyes fixed just in front of him. Midori was kneeling in the mud, the rain washing down her face and hair, as well as the blood that seeped from the wounds she had received from multiple weapons. Her arms hung loosely at her sides, her head tilted back as she stared at the dark sky with unfocused eyes.

"Kakashi...Obito…," she whispered, and Kakashi flinched, his hands beginning to sweat and his breathing becoming shallow and uneven. He was rendered immobile by the scene and it was too late now to try and cancel the Genjutsu. "Where are you? I can't see you. We're going back together, right? Obito, we're going to always remind Kakashi of his birthday every year, right? The gate guards are going to thank us when we get back, remember? Help me, Obito, Kakashi, Kazuma-sensei. I want to spend more time with you. I don't…want to die…" Her voice faded into silence.

Kakashi's jaws were clenched tight, his teeth grinding against each other. His hands were squeezed into fists, the nails digging into his palms. When Midori started to fall forward, he wanted to reach out and grab her, but his body wouldn't move. She splashed into the dirt, her face turned so he could see her distant eyes, wet face, and the blood that spilled from her mouth. She started to whisper the same lines again, tears filling up her eyes then spilling down her face, undistinguishable from the rain.

Then suddenly, a clearer voice penetrated through the drumming of the rain and Midori's whispers. "Regret, guilt, pain, sorrow. And hatred towards yourself for being unable to stop this from happening. Is that what you are feeling now?" Kakashi saw a pair of feet behind Midori's body and he slowly lifted his eyes to see an ANBU standing in front of him. He seemed oblivious to the battle going on behind him. Though he was masked, Kakashi could tell the voice belonged to Yuki.

"This is just…an illusion," Kakashi said, his voice close to a whisper.

"Then why can't you get out of it?" Yuki asked.

"This isn't what she was thinking," Kakashi said, not answering the question.

"How can you tell what a person think when he or she dies?" Yuki responded as a question again. "Do you think she accepted death with open arms? Do you think she didn't have any fear of dying? Do you think she was not hoping to be saved and live on?"

Kakashi was quickly losing control over himself. He looked down at Midori, her mouth still moving, very slightly, repeating the sentences again and again. His fists clenched tighter, the nails biting even deeper into his skin. His eyes jerked back up to Yuki, as he glared at the ANBU.

"Is anger going to solve everything?" Yuki asked, once again in a calm voice. It made Kakashi jerk into realisation, his hands opening again, and his head lowered, shadows darkening around his eyes. For a few minutes, they stood silently, listening to the battle, rain, and Midori's ever so quiet voice.

"Midori," Kakashi finally said, his voice no longer on the edge of wavering. "She probably had some reluctance about dying. She probably hoped of getting saved and living on. She was probably afraid. But she was a shinobi, a proud kunoichi. Everyone who becomes a ninja knows of the risks. Everyone who entered that battle was prepared. To protect those dear to them, and die for them, if they must. Midori as well. She knew. And yet she went. It wasn't because she was forced to; she did it to protect Konoha, and three other individuals."

He lifted his face to meet the animal mask once again. "But I think that Midori was happy. Happy with that she had accomplished, and happy about the life she had lived. I do feel guilty and angry at myself. I seem to be living a life full of regrets. But she's dead; she died. If there were a technique that could turn back time, I would use it. But there isn't. What can I do? Wallow in repentance and stay in the shadows? What would Midori think of that? The only thing I'm left to do is to walk forward and live her share as well. I will never be able to forget her, but I will not be dragged down by her death."

"Prove it," Yuki said softly.

Kakashi looked back down at Midori and finding that he could move again, he knelt beside her. With his right hand, he pulled out a kunai from his holster and he placed his left hand against Midori's neck. His thumb faced up while his pinky and base of the hand rested against her wet skin. He raised the kunai, then swiftly struck it down into her neck, the blade slicing into his palm as well. He winced at the pain, but it allowed him to snap back into reality.

The battle and rain instantly disappeared, being replaced by the snow again. The kunai dropped into the snow and Kakashi staggered back, until he bumped into the broad tree trunk. He leaned heavy against it, absently holding the cut across his hand. He looked up to find Yuki standing exactly where he had been in the illusion.

"So that is your answer," Yuki muttered. Kakashi nodded once. The ANBU removed his mask and pushed some snow away from the area where the kunai had fallen. When he went deep enough, Kakashi noticed a scroll lying where Midori had been. The kunai was stuck just next to it. Yuki tossed both items to Kakashi, who caught them and put them away.

"Put aside from the exam," Yuki said, "your answer is a good one. Don't change your mind or falter on your decision. That's all I can say." Again, Kakashi nodded once. Then Yuki's face split into a grin. "Well then, two down, six more to go!"

"How encouraging," Kakashi mumbled.

"I know. Did you figure out the rest?" Yuki asked, purposefully ignoring the sarcasm that dripped from Kakashi's two words.

"The rest of that impossibly general poem? I'd be surprised if anyone could."

"Why thank you, I came up with that myself."

"No wonder," Kakashi muttered under his breath, but Yuki caught him and grinning, he threw a handful of snow at the boy who was caught off guard. "Cold," he gasped quietly, quickly trying to brush away the snow from his face and neck.

"Anyways, you're going to run out of time if you don't get moving."

Kakashi, for the first time realised that it was already dark, the clouds breaking to allow the light of the gibbous moon to shine down. Under the silver light, the snow looked blue. Tilting back his head, Kakashi noted the height of the moon and was surprised at how late it was. He guessed around nine or ten o'clock. He hadn't realised the afternoon passing into dusk in the first place since he had been so wrapped up in his thoughts.

"Well, I guess I'll go take a nap until you figure out the rest of the locations," Yuki said in an offhanded manner. He turned and waved a hand back at Kakashi, then sprang up into the branches and disappeared into the darkness.

Kakashi was left to think of what to do next. It was meaningless to move around and waste energy without knowing where to go. But then again, if he stayed still for too long, his body would become cold again unless he found a warm shelter. He reached over to his back pouch and pulled out a small, rectangular case, which he opened and took out a round pill. He put the case back away, and slipped the pill under his mask and swallowed it. It wasn't the best nutrition method, but it was useful for survival and long term, speed journeys since it didn't take up so much space or time to consume. It consisted of the nutrients his body needed.

He then bent down to remove his remaining bandage around his left calf and wrapped it around his left palm where the bleeding was starting to slow down. When he had secured that, he pushed away the tree and climbed up into it. At a steady pace, he leapt from limb to limb, one phrase nagging at the back of his head. Something about it felt familiar, but as soon as he turned his thoughts towards it, the feeling disappeared. His speed dropped and he turned his thoughts inward. Where? Where was it that he had heard of this before? When? Who? He frowned in thought and chewed on his tongue.

…_Water falls from the sky… _

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Well, that's that.

I'm so bright and clever, I did something to my ex-cracked ankle bone…o.O…the shuttle went right over me during badminton and I was backing up, and my weight came down on the mostly healed foot and it gave way…Stupid foot…grr...It's swollen and I can't get into my sneakers! (pouts)

Anyways….

**Leilani:** I personally will not be writing about Obito's exam, but you'll know the basic information on what happened on his side. Not to worry. Thanks for always reviewing!  
**Rurikat:** Glad you liked it! To be honest, I'm running out of ideas so I decided to make this the last test, and it needed to last for a few days…Anyways, thanks, as always, for the review!  
**NefariouPhoenix**: Yup yup. Yuki has his mean moments. (grins) Makes him all the more fun to write about! Thanks for dropping a review, it's very kind of you! (hugs). You'll get a brief description of Obito's exam, yes.  
**Alana**: Hehe. It makes me so happy when people are glad when they read my chapters. I had to test the hint poem on my brother to see if it was too obvious. I really didn't plan it…and he guessed about half of the locations, but still! Hope you enjoyed this chapter as well and thanks again for your review!  
**Katzuki:** Uhuh, exam is going to end in a few chapters! (I think). Lol. Then I'll know that the day when you see a new chapter, you'll be happy. Updates…are getting a bit slower now…It used to be a new chapter nearly three or four days during the fall break last year…Oh well. I hope I don't make you wait too long! Thanks for reviewing! By the way, how do you know I'm a girl? Just wondering. You might be right or wrong. I won't say. Unless my memory fails me and I've already mentioned my gender before…  
**Nezuko:** Arigatou gozaimasu! Makes me happy when new readers enjoy reading the story as much as I do writing it! Yes, we're doing "The Lord of the Flies" in English at school. A really good book, I must say, and it's not until we watched the film that I was reminded how young they all were. Lol. Thanks for the compliment! Well, I did Judo/Jujitsu for about a year before I quit, but other than that (which isn't really hand to hand combat), I have no experience at all. I did watch Dragonball from a very young age though, and I'm usually most interested in fighting anime/manga…I write a lot of fighting, so experience might have come from there…(there's a lot in "Bakumatsu no Douran" which I haven't regained the muse for). English is my second language. Japanese is my first. Sorry about the grammar/vocab flaws…Might be because I'm not a great grammar student, or I haven't proofread the chapter… Thankies! Hope you enjoyed this chapter too!  
**lightdragon:** Thanks a bunch! I'm glad you're liking it and I hope you continue to read!  
**starfighter**: lol. Thanks for dropping a review! Naruto's a great anime/manga. I'm sure you'll like it a lot! Hope you keep reading once you gain more knowledge!  
**HikaruOfArrow**: Thanks a huge bunch!

Thanks a million for reading everyone!  
-Fanyar-


	31. Chapter ThirtyOne

**Chapter Thirty-One:**

(Flashback)

Obito and Kakashi sat on the uppermost level of a classroom in the Ninja Academy. Mitsuki was teaching the class about historical geography, displaying a number of pictures and explaining them, while everyone followed in their textbooks. Kakashi had the side of his face leaning against his propped up hand, while he half listened to the lesson. From one glance around the room, over half of the students were obviously uninterested, but were trying hard to keep focused. Obito stifled a yawn next to him, tears momentarily filling in his eyes. His chin was resting on his folded arms on the desk and he radiated an aura of boredom.

It was a hot summer's day, and although the windows were all open, with no breeze, the room was still too warm for the restless children. Many of the students were squirming in their seats, willing the time to go faster so they could go and play after school. Obito yawned again, this time not bothering to try and keep his mouth shut. A moment later, he gagged and spat out a piece of chalk from his mouth, making disgusted noises from the horrible taste. He was immediately awake and sitting bolt upright, still trying to cope with the shock and flavour. Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

"Oi, pay attention!" Mitsuki shouted, narrowing her eyes at Obito. The other students turned their attention instantly on the Uchiha and giggled.

"Guwa," Obito grumbled, sticking out his tongue and glaring at the teacher. "It didn't have to be a chalk, did it!"

Mitsuki grinned in a nasty way. "Would you have preferred it if I threw the chalk powder, Obi-chan?" she purred softly. Obito gulped and bit back any further comments, resorting to simply glowering at the smugly grinning Jounin teacher.

"That demonic sadist," Obito mumbled in a voice almost quieter than a whisper when Mitsuki continued the lesson.

"As I was saying, this waterfall is located north-east from here, though still in Fire Country. The two huge statues standing on either side of the waterfall is the symbol of the battle between these two, great shinobi that happened…"

"Hey, Kakashi," Obito whispered, keeping an eye on their teacher who was still talking to the rest of the class. Kakashi turned his head a little and met Obito's eyes, indicating that he was listening. "I got this one jutsu scroll from the – "

A sudden movement in the row in front of them cut Obito off and they looked to see Midori standing up. "Sensei," she called, "This picture in the textbook doesn't really give us any proportions to estimate the height of this waterfall."

"Oh, does it not?" Mitsuki asked, glancing down at the photo, then looked back up with a grin. "It does, if you look closely. At the very top, you can see a small figure." There was a murmur of surprise in the classroom as the students finally realised how tall these statues were.

"Then," Midori continued with bright eyes, "from the bottom, it must look like the water falls directly from the skies." There was another murmur of agreement, mostly amongst the girls. Obito rolled his eyes and leaned over to Kakashi.

"I got it from the off-limits area in the library," he finished. Kakashi raised a curious eyebrow, and Obito grinned. "Then it's deci – gah!" To avoid a ball of chalk powder rounded by chakra, Obito threw himself into the isle of the room, a few more loud noises coming as he hit his head on the floor and rolled down the stairs to Mitsuki's feet. Kakashi shook his head a little, glancing at the splattered ball of dust exactly in the line where Obito's mouth would have been. Midori sat back down with a roll of her eyes and muttered something about goggled idiots.

(End Flashback)

Kakashi now sped through the white forest, wasting no time and heading in a direct line towards the one waterfall they had learned about six years ago. He considered it quite lucky that he had suddenly remembered what Midori had said about the waterfall. _'It must look like the water falls directly from the skies'… Water falls from the sky._

He was sure about it now. This was the tallest waterfall in all of Fire Country.

As he drew closer to the waterfall, his keen hearing could pick up the noise of the water crashing down into the rocks below. The roaring only became louder as he came nearer to his destination. At last he leapt out of the last trees and landed lightly on the head of one of the two statues flanking the loud waterfall. There wasn't a lot of snow on them, partly because the wind blew it off, and partly because there was no resistance on the stones and so the snow would simply slide off once it was heavy enough.

And surely enough, as soon as Kakashi landed, he felt a strong gust of wind blow from behind him, which had only been a light breeze in the forest. It was cold. He could feel it despite the fact that he had been moving for the past couple of hours. His breath clouded in front of him, and he knew that because there were hardly any clouds in the sky, it was even colder. He looked around in the meagre light the moon offered and found nothing there. So he took a small jump and felt the air rushing against his skin and clothes as he allowed gravity to pull him quickly down into the canyon where the river flowed.

He landed in a low crouch on the solid ground at the side of the water and then stood up. The wind was much more subdued here, but there was less moonlight. He slowly turned his head, taking in his surroundings. Finding nothing on in sight, he tilted his head back and looked straight up the waterfall. He stared at the top of the two great statues, then slowly trailed his eyes down the falls until he reached the foaming water at the very bottom. His attention suddenly caught a shadow very close to the bottom of the fall, and on the same piece of land he was currently standing on.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes through the darkness to try and see the shadow a little better, but he knew that it was a waste of time in the darkness. In any case, he had a good idea on who the figure was. He slipped his hands into his pockets and walked closer to the falls.

"You seem to be appearing an awful lot," he said, loud enough for his voice to carry over the steady roaring of the water.

"Does it bother you?" Yuki asked, stepping out a little into the lighter shades of the shadows. The earring gem, Kakashi noticed, was red. He shrugged. "Found the scroll yet?"

Kakashi didn't reply, but he turned his head a little and he stared intently at the foaming, white water amongst the jagged rocks. He nodded very slightly in the direction. Yuki smirked playfully and patted the Chuunin's shoulders.

"Have fun!" he said cheerfully.

Kakashi glared at the ANBU, though it was hard to see in the darkness. With a sigh of resignation, he shook his head a little once, then dived into the icy water. Yuki jerked his head in the direction and his eyes widened. Immediately there was an explosion under the water surface, and it caused the liquid to spray into the air. Yuki stood tense for a moment, and then rushed to the side of the bank.

"That idiot," he hissed, as he stared intently through the water, impatiently waiting for the waves to settle down a little more. "Hatake!" he shouted, with disbelieving eyes. What kind of an idiot would dive straight into water where he knew something was definitely set! The kid was meant to a genius!

"Hmm…Well, I had doubted that I could manoeuvre a kage bunshin well enough in the water to avoid those traps."

Yuki straightened slowly, his eyes closed and his mouth fixed in a thin, forced grin. His whole face twitched once in a while as he turned. Kakashi stepped out of the shadows, a thoughtful look on his face, but Yuki could pick out the obvious mocking laughter in his voice. A vein throbbed dangerously on his temple. _That little brat…_

Yuki took a deep breath and steadied his anger. He motioned Kakashi over to him, and warily, the boy came. "I'll give you an advice," he said, then he grabbed Kakashi quicker than the Chuunin could react. "Get your cocky behind into that water!" Kakashi was thrown to the waterfall with a short, alarmed cry and he barely managed to get his hands and feet under him to land on the surface of the water.

"That was _not_ necessary," Kakashi growled, vaguely seeing the various traps set up under the quick ripples of the water.

"Oh really?" Yuki absently replied, stepped back a few paces to lean against the rocks with his arms crossed. He quirked an eyebrow when Kakashi didn't move from glowering at him. "What's wrong?" he asked innocently.

Kakashi didn't respond, straightening and tentatively walking back to the shore. Once there, he contemplated on what to do. The force of the current was too strong to move very well, and even if he used chakra, it would still be likely that he would be washed, involuntarily into some trap. Then again, sending clones would just be a waste of chakra, judging from what had happened to the first one. Another alternative was to set off every trap down there, but he was too reluctant to do that. Stealth was first on a shinobi's list. Yuki's reaction earlier said that jumping in and simply 'trying' wasn't the smartest idea either.

He resisted the urge to rub his tired head. None of the jutsu he knew consisted of an imaginary hand reaching underwater to retrieve a scroll. He didn't even know if the scroll was just sitting down there, or was surrounded by something else. He lowered himself onto one knee, ignoring the uneven ground. He reached out with one hand and touched the water with his palm. It was mostly to try and clear his head above any other intentions.

"Do you want a hint?" Yuki called from behind him.

"It might be helpful," Kakashi replied without turning around, not really expecting too much. The cold water was starting to numb his fingers but he didn't withdraw his hand.

"I'll give you a hint then, on one condition." Kakashi sighed softly, knowing this was coming. He was too tired now to go along with the Uchiha jokes.

"Which is?" he muttered exasperatedly.

"You return one of the scrolls to me and you have to find it again," Yuki replied gleefully.

Kakashi half snorted and shook his head in refusal to the deal. He already had an idea of how he would get the scroll, no matter how idiotic and risky it was. He finally pulled his hand away from the water and watched the drops fall back down from his palm and fingers. It was difficult to make anything out in the darkness of the night. He closed his eyes and dried his wet hand, then tried to warm it up by covering it with his other hand. He stood back up and looked at the moon. It would still be a couple of hours until dawn.

He turned and walked back to where Yuki stood, his hands slipping back into his pockets. The ANBU raised a questioning eyebrow at him, but Kakashi only sat down at the base of the rocky wall next to him.

"Giving up?" Yuki asked casually when he figured that the boy wasn't going to say anything.

"No," was all he received. Yuki waited a moment for the explanation to come, and when it didn't seem like it would, he had opened his mouth part way when it suddenly came. "I'll wait until sunrise."

"Oh," Yuki muttered, making the vowel a little long as he thought about it. Then he shrugged and slid down to wall to join the youngster. Though there were patches of snow down in the shallow canyon, the side rocks had prevented them to reaching the place where the two now sat.

Minutes ticked away in silence before Yuki suddenly struck up a conversation. "Do you remember your father?" he asked. Kakashi stiffened somewhat and he glanced over at the older shinobi and stared at him for a moment, though Yuki never turned to meet his gaze.

"Do you think I could forget him?" Kakashi asked after a brief pause, wariness creeping into his voice.

Yuki shrugged. "Seven years already, huh. He was a truly great man. He was like a brother and a father at the same time for me. He gave me courage when I was still missing self confidence. Years ago."

"Were you a dropout of your clan?" Kakashi asked, curiosity momentarily rising above his weariness.

"No, not quite. But as a child, I never had confidence, no matter how other people tried to encourage me. But Sakumo-san was different. I spent quite some time with him, in and out of missions. It was fun to be with him." Yuki smiled up at the moon. Then it turned into a teasing grin as he looked at Kakashi. "Do you want to know a secret?" he asked in a playful voice.

Kakashi was curious to know about this secret, but his personality got the better of him and he looked away with some colour rising into his cheeks at being treated like a toddler. "Not particularly," he mumbled. Yuki grinned even wider, leaning over and cocking his head to the side to let the little moonlight shine on Kakashi's face. He chuckled as he saw a brief glimpse of the blush.

"How sweet, he's blushing," he squeaked, pinching Kakashi's cheek like one would do with a small child. The colour rose even more into his face and he abruptly stood up and leapt away, not stopping until he reached the head of one of the statues. He turned his back on the wind and mildly glared at the vast forest he saw below him, stretching for miles without end. Then he suddenly saw something that caused his eyes to widen and his humiliation to be forgotten. Maybe…

Yuki continued to chuckle at the still childish behaviour Kakashi had yet to loose. When the laughter subsided, he got to his feet and walked over to the land's edge and stared down at the trap filled water below.

_I wonder how he will deal with this part, Sakumo-san. I set it up as a near perfect replica of what you once tested me with, in my Jounin exam._

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

When the sun rose above the horizon in the east, it was revealed that the day was surprisingly, clear of most thick, snow clouds. It wouldn't be called a 'sunny' day, but it wasn't dark either. There were thin, grey clouds marking most of the sky, but the sun still penetrated through this to a certain extent.

Kakashi returned to the base of the waterfall when the sun was high enough and found Yuki waiting there. He had gotten about half an hour of light sleep, but it was still enough for him. As he landed, he glanced at the ANBU who stood with his arms crossed and leaning against the wall in a casual manner. Then he looked back at the water.

He sighed quietly, almost inaudibly, then stepped onto the water and walked a few paces towards the middle of the river. He looked down, past his feet and into the lightly white liquid, then he released the chakra at his feet and fell into the icy grips of the water.

Yuki rolled his eyes on the bank, slapped his forehead with his hand and shook his head.

"The brightest idiot I have ever met," he muttered, then grinned in spite of himself. "That's what you probably said about me, Sakumo-san." He lifted his face from his hand and his grin faded. "But the shinobi who tried this, nearly died, Hatake."

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Heee! Another chapter done! And it's a tad bit longer than the others! A tad…Right, now I have to go do my history project due tomorroooow! (currently being 22:34) (gulps) But I had to finish this chapter first. (wink)

**Leilani:** I'm always fascinated to see that you are always the first one to review (for the past couple of chapters at least). Lol. Yeah, I know badminton's fun. I actually really like it, and it's a pity I can't play anymore…Anyways, thanks yet again for your review! I hope you enjoyed the chapter as you did all the rest!  
**nice**: hehe. Thanks for reviewing and complimenting! (grins) Currently, my muse in back into place, and I can't concentrate on homework anymore since I keep changing the window to the fic. ;o)  
**Katzuki**: Arg! I'm so sorry for mixing the question up with you and Alana! Gah…Well, yep, I'm a girl. That's true, I guess guys don't write a lot of fanfic about Kakashi. Lol. Um…the riddle…some of it came quickly, others didn't. (shrugs) It wasn't too bad. I'm okay at badminton, I guess, compared to the other girls, save one. Uhuh. Guys with their extremely fast smashes scare the hell out of me. Thanks for always reviewing!  
**shadowangl:** Thank you! I hope you enjoyed this chapter too!  
**Bily's Shadow**: Thanks for dropping a review! Yeah, I considered changing the name to Lin, but I immediately decided against it. It would be too complicated, and I'm liking it so far.  
**NefariousPhoenix:** True, that's a sad novel. Lol. Well, I'm glad people like Obito. (grins) Ankle weights…that's really cool! I wanted some a while ago, but my mum wouldn't let me…TTTT Anyways, thanks a bunch for reviewing!  
**lightdragon**: heh, thanks a lot for the review and compliment! I kind of get tired after describing everything, so once in a while, I like to write it in conversations. Hope you liked the chapter!  
**wyldcat:** Hehe. Thanks a million for your review! Yes, I'll briefly be going over the Kyuubi fight. Maybe the Icha Icha books, not sure about that just now. Midori and Chidori…Hmm…Actually, I just noticed…Strange…Mm…the blue chakra, huh? I won't give an answer to that! (sadistic grin) Anyways, hope you enjoyed!  
**Alana:** lol. Thanks for always reviewing, no matter how late it is. I always, always appreciate them! Yeah, I get what you mean, don't worry (grin). I felt that Kakashi kind of needed to get that really behind him now. Ankle feels much better, yes, in a cast…But yeah, it comes off soon, so it's nothing big. I hope you liked this chapter!

Thanks again everyone who reviewed and perhaps those that didn't! I'm glad people are enjoying it!  
-Fanyar-


	32. Chapter ThirtyTwo

**Chapter Thirty-Two:**

Kakashi shuddered as he was engulfed in the cold water. The sharp coldness stinging his skin was enough to make him want to jump right out, but he tried, with difficulty, to ignore the discomfort. The current was even stronger than he had imagined, and he had to quickly swim to the side and hold onto the rough rocks with his chakra. As he went, he took a good look around. It was hard, due to the darkness despite the daylight, and also because the current kept everything from being still. He saw the remains of the first bomb that had gone off when his clone had triggered it.

He looked further and saw glimpses of various other traps. But he also noticed that the water seemed a little calmer down there. Not wasting any time, he pushed off the rock and dived deeper. As he had observed, the current wasn't as strong. So, taking his attention away from that fact, he took a closer look at the traps.

Not that there was an awful lot that he could actually make out in the semi darkness. Looking through water wasn't the best visibility either. Plus, he didn't have any time to waste with useless observing. He had gone through with this stupid plan of his, so he was going to have to make it work somehow. He swam further down, until he felt his foot brush against something. He stiffened and then immediately jerked his head to the side, as a few kunai rushed past him. He didn't feel one of them cut him just above the left cheekbone, as he twisted as best he could to avoid another couple coming from the opposite direction. He waited a moment for any more, but quickly decided that was it.

He turned around to continue down, when a small, bamboo case loomed in front of him. His eyes widened as he quickly took out a kunai and sliced the container open. As he had expected, it was an exploding talisman, and it went off right after his blade had gone through the bamboo. The effect was somewhat subdued since he had exposed it to water, but the force of the explosion still caused him to be hurled away and crashed into a large boulder that rested on the bottom of the river. He coughed sharply upon impact, releasing a mouthful of oxygen bubbles and wincing slightly as his head throbbed. Swallowing down on the nausea, he did his best to clear his head, and distinguish 'up' from 'down'.

He squinted through the water and made out a small item at the very bottom of the river. The scroll was lying in a small, but deep enough ditch that could easily fit a human. He was suspicious about the fact that he couldn't identify any traps, so he proceeded a little slowly. When he reached the scroll without encountering anything, he became increasingly uneasy. It wasn't like Yuki to make it this easy to accomplish. Tentatively he picked up the scroll, but froze when he felt resistance. Quickly looking down, Kakashi found a fairly thick, short chain attached to the scroll. He grimaced. Now how was he going to cut through _that_?

He didn't have the time to be pondering. The knowledge of his lack of air was starting to nag at the back of his mind. A kunai couldn't cut through it, none of the techniques he knew could melt metals this thick, there was a slight chance that he could break it with speed and a few weapons, but in the water, that was out of the question. He closed his eyes as they started to tire and he controlled his stressed mind. The rushed feeling disturbed his thinking. For the moment, he pushed the oxygen problem away as well and fell into his calm, pondering mind. Chakra was steadily keeping his feet connected to the floor.

After a moment, Kakashi snapped his eyes open and reached out with his right hand. It was easier and quicker this time, as his chakra flared visibly around his extended hand. The strain on his arm was no different though, and he gritted his teeth tightly together. He sliced his hand through the water and at the chain, and although it caused some damage, it took him another couple swipes to crack the thick metal. His need for air increased with the effort and he quickly slipped the scroll in a holder, turning to head back to the surface.

A sudden rush in the water halted Kakashi's movements and he saw numerous wires flying just above the ditch. His eyes darted to follow their tip and end and immediately recognised them as explosive traps, similar to the one his clone had touched. Deftly, his hands flew through a set of seals, resting in the sheep seal. _Ninpo Kanzen Nenshou no jutsu_. Reaching up with his index and middle fingers pressed together, he used both his hands to melt the wires. He traced the fingers along the trap wires and they frizzled and then disappeared in the water.

Once he had melted a way through the wires, he pushed off the floor and started to swim back up the surface. Air was becoming quite a trouble now and he didn't wish to spend even more time underwater. Propelling himself upwards with the help of his chakra, Kakashi was almost at the surface when something dropped inside. He paused, then immediately tensed, clamping his eyes shut as a burst of light flared before his face. When it finally subsided and he looked up again, he would have cursed out loud, were he not in the water. The surface of water had turned into a thick layer of ice.

He didn't think anymore, as he dived back deeper until he came back to the large boulder. He grimaced, as his lungs burned. He went through another set of seals. _Doton Iwatou no jutsu._ He slammed his left hand down on the boulder. Immediately, from beneath the rock exploded a shaft, which propelled him back up to the surface. He did his best to ignore the ringing in his ears and he gathered chakra to his right hand with what concentration he had left. He could feel his heartbeat pounding in his heaving chest, trying to suck in oxygen that he would not permit to enter his mouth. He gritted his teeth, one eye closed while he made an effort to keep the other open, even slightly.

The speed of the rising rock shaft got him the speed he needed in the water. Kakashi drew back his right hand, then suddenly felt a horrible jolt in his arm and shoulder. His mouth opened in a silent cry, the water rushing inside his body. Darkness started to nibble away at his minimal vision, but he kept it at bay with his will. The ice loomed right before him and he threw his chakra covered fist into the frozen surface. He let go of the thin shaft and it crashed into the rock beneath the solid ground above.

But Kakashi's attention was above him. His fist was embedded into the ice, and for one sickening moment, he believed there hadn't been a strong enough impact to break it open. Then to his relief, cracking lines spread across the ice, and it tumbled into the water. He made his way hurriedly and uncaringly through the chunks of sharp ice, which cut him along the face and arms, but he paid them no heed.

Yuki watched with great curiosity as Kakashi's head shot out of the water with a loud gasp. He scrambled to pull his upper body onto the rocky shore, then he collapsed, his body heaving and coughing rapidly. Yuki took this moment to assess the Chuunin's conditions. There weren't any obvious, serious injury. There were minor cuts, but other than that, he couldn't make out anything else. But he did that even in his collapsed state, Kakashi was gripping his right arm tightly. He waited for almost a minute for Kakashi to recover some of his breath.

"The scroll?" he asked. Kakashi didn't answer straight away, while he heaved himself completely out of the water and knelt in front of Yuki. His silver hair drooped down into his face and stuck to his skin, his head bowed. He took his hand away from his right arm and unclipped one of the scroll holders. He caught the item as it slipped out and held it up, revealing the remains of the chain. Yuki let out a low whistle of mild wonder. Then his face cracked into his lopsided grin.

Still breathing quickly, Kakashi shook his head slowly at the grin, then returned the scroll to its former position. Once the holder was securely closed, he fell forward onto his side, unable to summon the energy to keep upright. He felt extremely dizzy and nauseous, and although the cold clothes stuck to his skin, he was still warm from the movements underwater. The breaths he exhaled made small puffs of vapour in front of his mask.

"I told you it wasn't a good idea," Yuki muttered, squatting down in front of the boy.

"I never heard that warning," Kakashi grumbled between his sharp breaths.

"Oh right. Of course. I said it _after_ you fell into the water," Yuki said with a mock triumphant look at remembering. He lightly hit the bottom of his fist into his other palm with a stupid look on his face. Kakashi didn't bother saying anything as he simply rolled his eyes. _Seriously. Uchihas_. Then Yuki continued in the same tone. "You know you shouldn't lie here out in the open? You could easily be attacked."

No sooner had Yuki finished his sentence when Kakashi stiffened then half leapt, half rolled away from a line of shuriken that clattered on the stones where he had been. He landed on his back with a grunt, rolling across the ground a few times before he could gather his limbs beneath him. He quickly looked up and saw a second Yuki standing next to the original, who was still crouched. The one who was standing had his mask over his face and the meagre sunlight revealed his gem to be green.

"I _did_ warn you this time," Yuki said with a grin, his face resting against his hand, which was propped up on his knee. Kakashi had regained most of his breath by now, but his energy was all but wasted. He had certainly gone through underwater training, but nothing as extreme as this. The attacking ANBU lunged towards Kakashi, flicking a few shuriken at him. Kakashi leapt above them, then threw down a kunai to counter the weapons that were intended to hit him while he couldn't move too well in the air. He briefly struck the walls of the shallow canyon, then pushed off and disappeared, leaving a small puff smoke.

Yuki watched him disappear before shrugging and releasing his clone. He straightened and glanced down at the water, still partly covered with ice, but most of it was cracked and melting. A small smile tugged at his lips as he recalled memories. He would go down later to disable all the remaining traps if there were any, but for now, he turned his back on the waterfall and disappeared as well.

Once Kakashi had gotten to the top of the waterfall, and into the shelter of some trees, he had stopped on a low branch and leaned heavily against the trunk. He had had no idea that straining himself underwater could take so much strength away from him. After a few moments of struggle, he finally gave in to his body's demand and allowed himself to slide down the trunk until the weight was taken away from his legs. He knew it wasn't a good idea. He had to keep moving so that the coldness from his wet his clothes wouldn't penetrate to his skin. Even if it did, if he was moving, then it wouldn't matter so much. At least, until the exam ended. He had a slight premonition about getting one hell of a bad cold after that. But right now, his body simply refused to move.

He let his head drop back against the rough bark. His hair was still dripping water and it ran slowly down his face. He closed his eyes and turned his thoughts towards the remainder of the riddle.

A crater in the surface,

An abandoned home,

A breaking rock.

And, of course, the eighth scroll.

Kakashi thought through the possibilities once again in his mind, adding some more branches to his thoughts, until he started to feel the cold descending on him. He opened his eyes once again, and shifted so that he could place a hand on the trunk. Using it to steady himself, he slowly got back to his feet. His movements felt jittery and snappy at first, but as he stumbled on through the trees, he began to feel the muscles starting to loosen again.

He didn't go very deep into the forest, always keeping the river in sight. He didn't have to travel for too long, until he came upon a small lake, parts of it frozen over and coated with snow. Kakashi dropped down from the line of trees and treaded carefully on the snow. His gaze was focused on Yuki, who stood in the middle of the lake, currently yawning. A scroll was located at his feet. When he noticed Kakashi at the side of the lake, he grinned and waved well naturedly.

"Yo Kakashi! I was wondering when you would get here," he called over. "Welcome to the _Genjutsu Fuuin_ part of this exam." His eyes squinted into a bright, innocent smile. Kakashi knew better than to fall for the disguised innocence.

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Kanzen Nenshou: complete combustion…I think that should be the exact translation…

Genjutsu Fuuin: illusionary seal

Well, sorry for the slight wait. I was away for the weekend so I didn't have access to the computer. Anyways, hope you enjoyed!

**Leilani**: Well, first again. Yeah, I understand about school. I'm always so tempted to download Naruto manga since it usually comes out when I'm at school, but we aren't allowed. And I'd probably get banned from the computer if I did. -.- But no one knows that fanfiction. net is unrelated to school. (grins) Anyways, thanks for reviewing! Always great to hear from you!  
**Nezuko:** Well, second language…I guess, but I started learning English when I was like four or five, so it's not too much of a surprise. But, I'm glad that you like my writing style. I personally think it's quite repetitive and too plain. Heh. Thanks for reviewing though, as always! Do you want me to write longer chapters? I just thought about four or five pages makes it a good read…  
**wyldcat**: hehe. You'll get the answer to your question sometime in the future! In fact, both of your answers will be answered! Not to worry! Hope you enjoyed the update, and thanks for your review!  
**Alana:** lol! I'm glad that you liked the flashback! The only thing I needed to get across was Midori commenting about the waterfall, but I was too overwhelmed by the urge to write a bit about their Academy experience. I was walking outside in the cold when I came up with the idea of him swimming in the ice water. I have to say, I was quite glad that I was in the warm when I wrote about it. ) Thanks for the review!  
**Katzuki:** I'm finding it hard not to leave cliffies…It is difficult with plots like this. I can end anywhere and it would be a cliff hanger. Anyways, hope to you enjoyed, and thanks a bunch for the review!  
**lightdragon:** hehe. Thankies! Please don't hesitate to add a few advice though, if you have any! It's always useful!  
**Chaotic Demon**: lmao! Haha. Thanks for dropping a review!  
**Nefarious Phoenix**: Mmm….might have been him, might have been someone else…Answers will come sometime in the near future! It doesn't matter who reviews first. I'm just always happy that you do! Thank you!  
**Shade**: Thanks! Hope you read on!  
**HikaruOfArrow:** Thanksies!

As always! Thanks to everyone for your support!  
-Fanyar-


	33. Chapter ThirtyThree

**Chapter Thirty-Three: **

Kakashi frowned. "Genjutsu Fuuin?" he mumbled.

"Ever heard of it?" Yuki asked, not moving from his position. Kakashi shook his head once. Yuki sighed, and Kakashi could have sworn that it was a sigh of relief. He narrowed his eyes. The ANBU didn't miss the subtle movement, and lifted his hands in defence with a grin. "I was meant to pick a technique that you didn't know, but I was getting a little worried," he explained. "It's an ANBU level jutsu. We're officially meant to keep it at a Jounin level, but the problem is, you know of most of them." He scratched the back of head. "Being the troublesome kid you are."

Well, that explained why he had never even heard of the technique. There was nothing kept in more secret than the ANBU information. Except, maybe Hokage business.

"And?" Kakashi asked, still not moving from the edge of the water. "What am I meant to do here? Could you make it quick, I don't have much time."

"Impertinent little guy," Yuki muttered under his breath with a smirk. "You want me to repeat what you have to do? I personally find that more of a waste of time. You have to get the scroll, genius." He picked up the said item and tossed it a few times lightly into the air.

"Then don't go giving names," Kakashi grumbled quietly, stepping onto the water and walking forward, step by step. But despite his words and laid back composure, he was very wary. Every sense was pricked alert, and his weary muscles were nevertheless tense and ready. The hair on the back of his neck stood up, and even without that warning, he knew there was more to this part than 'getting the scroll'.

As he drew closer, Yuki held out the scroll with his extended hand. Kakashi was about four steps away from the scroll, and when he took another step forward, he stiffened and immediately stopped. The surroundings were the same, even the breeze remained, but Yuki and the scroll was no where to be seen. Tentatively, he lifted a foot, and finding he could move without any problems, he quickly stepped back. Yuki reappeared along with the scroll. His calm grin hadn't left his face and he tilted his head a little in curiosity at Kakashi's surprised expression.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes, stepping forward once again and finding the ANBU gone. Nonetheless he kept walking forward to where he should be, but found nothing solid. He turned around and kept stepping backwards until he suddenly saw Yuki once again. Reaching down with his right hand, he hooked a shuriken on his middle finger and in one fluid movement, swung his arm across his torso, the single weapon slicing through the air. It passed through Yuki as if he was a projected figure, and then continued to fly until it lost its speed and plopped into the water.

Without pausing, Kakashi stepped forward again, until he couldn't see Yuki, then without taking full paces, slowly pulled back. Once he had the ANBU in his sight again, he stopped, his right hand still outstretched, which he could see perfectly. Drawing the hand back, he lifted it in front of his face, the middle and index fingers upright and he closed his eyes. He concentrated on finding the line that divided reality and illusion, but after a moment, he lowered his hand and reopened his eyes. He wasn't surprised that he couldn't find any such borders.

"I'll give you a hint," Yuki said, turning around to face Kakashi. "I'm here." To prove his point, he dug his foot into the water and splashed it up, a few drops landing on Kakashi's hand. Then he pulled out a kunai, dipped it in the water, then tossed it lightly to the Chuunin, who caught it out of reflex. Indeed, the handle was wet and water droplets slipped down the sharp blade.

Kakashi looked back up at the ANBU. Now this ruled out the possibility of Yuki setting up an illusionary dome that showed him standing in the middle, somehow making him move and talk. His brows knitted together. It wasn't a simple bunshin either.

Kakashi scraped his teeth together in frustration when at least fifteen minutes past and he still couldn't come up with anything. His legs were getting increasingly tired from the strain of underwater and the constant flow of chakra into the water. Yuki still stood a few metres away, as calm and patient as ever.

"Can't think of anything?" he asked. Kakashi didn't respond. Yuki shrugged. "I guess it's expected. You're in luck; I can give you a hint. Look in the scroll you got from the battlefield."

After a moment of hesitation, Kakashi opened the slot and caught the scroll as it slipped out. Flipping the edge of it, he pulled it open. An expression of surprise flickered in his face when he read the first couple words. He hadn't expected much, but here he found the whole description for the Genjutsu Fuuin.

"What's the meaning of this?" he asked.

"What? You needed a little hint so I gave you one," Yuki replied. Kakashi shook his head, deciding not to waste any more time trying to argue with the ANBU. Instead, he concentrated on reading. After the first few sentences, he paused again.

"Transportation into another dimension?" he repeated with serious doubt.

"Kind of, yeah. Your soul and mind remains here, but your physical body is transferred to the dimension where the Kuchiyose creatures reside."

"So the technique can only be used if you have mastered the Kuchiyose," Kakashi concluded, reading on.

"Bingo, bingo," Yuki sang.

Kakashi finally rolled up the scroll again and slipped it back into the holder. He closed his eyes for concentration and lifted his hands. He muttered the order of the seals under his breath while he formed them with care. _Fuuin Kai_. His eyes snapped open as he thrust his right hand forward. A few sparks of electricity ran along what looked vaguely like a dome, but they quickly died down and disappeared.

Yuki's calm face was broken by a look of surprise, but Kakashi didn't seem to take notice. He narrowed his eyes and gathered chakra in his hand. Slowly, he extended it, until he distinctly felt a wall. He ran it along the invisible barrier until his hand couldn't reach further. Then he knelt down and went through the seals again. This time, he placed his hand against the bottom of the barrier. The electricity sparkled across the circumference of a circle, then once again, disappeared.

"I see," Kakashi mumbled almost inaudibly, to himself. He straightened, and took a step back. He deftly went through some seals he had grown familiar with. _Suiton Suijinheki_. The water erupted around Yuki and the illusionary dome. Without wasting time, Kakashi took the step forward again and formed the new set of seals. His eyes were narrowed with concentration. _Fuuin Kai_. His hand only stopped when it met the wall, but the electric sparks crackled and spread swiftly with the help of the water technique. This time the electricity remained alive as it bolted and cracked, revealing the domed barrier.

The water died down and a few moments later, the electricity followed suit. What remained was a thick mist of the combination of water particles and smoke. Out of it suddenly came a dark item, which Kakashi caught. Without a second glance at it, he kept his eyes on the haze, which was beginning to clear.

"Congratulations," he heard Yuki chime. "Not many people manage to make the connection between the technique and water." He emerged from the smoke with his usual grin. Kakashi blinked, for on Yuki's head rested a relatively big, pink duck. It lay on its stomach, its flat feet dangling by the ANBU's ears and its wide, thin, yellow beak partially covering his forehead. Kakashi raised a curious eyebrow.

"A…duck?" he muttered, unsure if it even belonged to that species.

"Yup." The duck gave a squawk. "This is my summoning creature. They can be quite fierce at times."

Kakashi decided not to respond to that. He put the new received scroll into a fourth holder. He was done collecting half the scrolls and he had roughly about fifty eight hours left. Yuki was having a pleasant conversation with his duck, so he turned and made his way off the water to try and save even a little of his chakra. He glanced over his shoulder at the ANBU once he was on the snow, then leapt into the trees, quickly disappearing from view.

Yuki's duck plopped down into his hands and squawked a number of times. Yuki chuckled and stroked his pink feathers.

"You're clever, Donald," he said. "Yes, he's doing very well so far. He'll definitely come our way sooner or later. But now, we need to see if his strength will hold out for the last part of this exam. Ne?"

Donald, the pink duck, squawked in reply.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Kakashi suppressed the urge to shiver. The wet clothes and cold temperature were starting to bug his consciousness now that his attention was not focused on anything. Hurriedly, he tried to concentrate on figuring out the last three riddle lines. As he leapt from tree to tree at a pace almost equivalent to a jog, he glanced down at the snowy ground below.

Something caught his attention and he came to an abrupt stop at the next branch. He turned around and looked down, but saw nothing in particular. He pushed off the limb, jumping high, his eyes trained on the ground. _There_. In the middle of the leap, he saw a hole in the middle of snow laden bushes.

A crater in the surface.

He landed on another tree and turned back around. The bushes and an area where there wasn't anything. His eyes widened with realisation. The surface was the trees of the forest. The crater indicated a clearing. He quickly leapt away, heading back the way he came until he reached the two statues flanking the waterfall. The wind stuck the damp clothes to his skin, creating goose bumps but he ignored the discomfort. Slowly, he turned his head to scan the scenery, but saw nothing special.

Gathering chakra to his feet, he bent his knees and with an extra boost from his powers, he leapt high into the air. Quicker this time, he looked around again, and saw several large clearings that held the possibility of being the next scroll's location. He would have to head a bit further south. Kakashi landed softly on the statue's head, and then leapt back towards the trees.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

It was nearing sunset by the time Kakashi had made it to a number of the clearings, finding them all empty. On his way to the fourth and last try, he knew he had hit the right lead. Even before the clearing came into view, he heard noises. To be exact, squawks. He rolled his eyes and wished he could double back. He stopped on one of the last branches and stared down at the large numbers of ducks of all kinds. He placed a hand against his face and shook his head. Before descending into the mess, he located the scroll on a rock near the center of the large clearing. He couldn't find Yuki anywhere.

Sighing in defeat, Kakashi stepped down from his high perch and landed quietly at the edge of the duck population. His cold hands were tucked into his pockets as he cautiously strode forward. The animals had stopped their individual actions and were now looking straight at him. When he neared the rock however, they went into frenzy and started to screech all at once. Kakashi grimaced and stopped as the ducks ran this way and that, eventually coming to a halt in a jagged line between him and the scroll.

The largest in the group picked up the scroll in its beak and held it there. He was not in the mood to play with animals at the moment. He heaved another sigh and continued forward, only to be attacked by at least four of the ducks. Without taking his hands out, he dodged their sharp nails and pointed beaks. He was reluctant to hit them, as they looked so defenceless and fragile. He looked up at the remaining lot.

"Would you possibly be able to kindly step away?" he muttered. In response, all he received was another handful of flying ducks. Finally he took his hands out of his pocket and began to serious evade their attacks. It wasn't until he suddenly felt the hair on the back of his neck starting to rise that he realised what Yuki had meant when he had said, the ducks can be 'fierce'. Without glancing back, he leapt high over a suddenly ball of water, rounded with chakra. He saw it briefly glancing off a tree on the far side of the clearing, and noticed that the wood splintered. Kakashi vaulted backwards, away from the scroll and landed in a light crouch. He wasn't going to underestimate them and risk getting another shattered joint. One was enough to last a couple years.

He studied the situation, his eyes lingering a while longer on the largest duck with the scroll. He ran forward, waiting until the last second before leaping above the beaks that were hurled at him. He landed precisely on the rock and his hand flew out to grab the scroll but he jerked it back a second later. The scroll-holder hadn't as much as moved. Kakashi growled, glancing down at the red area on the back of his hand where a blue duck had pecked him.

"What is this, colour dyed ducks?" he grumbled, locking annoyed gazes with the duck. It squawked.

"That's their natural colour."

Kakashi looked up to see Yuki in the middle of the group with a small duckling in the palm of his hand.

"I've heard that Kuchiyose animals are often unusual, but pink and bright blue ducks…" His voice was drowned out by the sheer noise that the birds made, rushing towards him. He had a brief moment to wonder why in the world Yuki had chosen these creatures to be protecting the scroll. He was soon forced away from the scroll, dodging this way and that.

"You won't be able to get the scroll if you keep running," Yuki called over the loud noise.

"Then they won't shrivel and die if I hit them?" Kakashi asked.

"_If_ you can hit them," Yuki corrected. "But no, I don't think they'll die by being hit a number of times."

That made things easier. Kakashi lifted his right arm to block the clawed feet of a duck, and twisted his hand. He grabbed one of its legs just in time and swung it around in an arc to shove off a couple others. It gave a horrified screech when it was released and crashed into another of its species. He continued his brawl with the ducks for a while, becoming increasing irritated when Yuki wouldn't stop laughing quietly, and when he couldn't get closer to the smug looking scroll holding duck.

When the surroundings began to get darker, and the number of ducks didn't decrease, Kakashi made a final decision that things had dragged on longer than was necessary. Feathers were strewn around the battle field, and Kakashi had obtained a decent amount of scratches. There was one duck that constantly kept pecking his ankle. Kakashi threw off a duck, and caught another by the neck. Ignoring all the rest, he hurled his captive, not too gently at the dozing scroll-holder. When the two crashed together, the larger of them bolted awake, squawked extremely loudly, and the scroll dropped down its throat.

Everything stopped, and Kakashi stared at the groggy duck with wide eyes. The smaller of the two lay in an exhausted heap in the snow.

Yuki looked up from the duckling when he noticed a difference and took in the situation in a glance. He blinked, then suddenly screamed. Kakashi jerked his head in the ANBU's direction.

"You weren't meant to _swallow_ it, Beethoven!" he shouted in alarm.

Kakashi slapped a hand against his face and groaned. _Great, this is exactly what I need_.

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I have a big apology to give to everyone. I knew I had to update, to get the message across, but I couldn't seem to find the solution to the chapter. Anyways, the situation is as follows: I was happily writing this chapter when my Sports teacher suddenly said that I need to work on something since I wasn't allowed to do sports for eight weeks due to my foot. So we agreed on me writing a story. So I started, and wrote, and wrote, and wrote, and since I only had two months, I was constantly working on the other one.

I can clearly say it was a waste, because I have about two and a half more weeks and I'm no where near finishing…. . 

So that's how things went, and I couldn't finish this chapter. I need to desperately finish the other one, so the next update may not be for another few weeks, but please don't worry, I've promised you all before that I'll never abandon this story without finishing it. So please forgive my long absence.

And thank you all for being so patient!

**Leilani**: Sooo sorry. I downloaded the Naruto manga a couple weeks back at school since I was desperate to know the continuation. I'm so glad no one found me. Thanks for waiting!  
**Alana:** I personally despise having to hold my breath at all, so I'm pathetic at underwater swimming. I can strain myself and go further, but I usually just think, 'to hell with this. I'm going up.' (hehe) Oooh. If you do decide to draw that picture, please please, scan it and upload! Thanks for being patient!  
**Katzuki**: They let you download things? How lucky…lol. We're mean to be doing educational things on the computer, but no one recognises fanfiction so it's good. But my argument is that reading is very educational. Hehe. Anyways, sorry for the long wait, and thank you always for being patient.  
**Sano**: hehe. Thankies! And sorry for the wait…  
**Wyldcat**: sorry for not updating too soon (more like a month and a bit). Mm….I feel so bad now. Not quite Chidori, but we'll get to that in later chapter! Thank you!  
**Nefarious Phoenix**: I was really happy that I came up with that technique (Genjutsu Fuuin), but then I suddenly noticed I had no idea how I should dispel it…One of the problems with this chapter…Anyways, thanks for being patient, hope you keep reading!  
: (I don't know whether the mark will come up in Anyways, thank you very much! Your review was what pushed me out of my current project to at least finish this chapter and inform everyone.

PS: I was reading my past chapters and decided that I needed bit more comedy so I added the ducks. (grins). I also noticed how many mistakes I had…Sorry about that. If ever I have enough time I'll try and fix those.

-Fanyar


	34. Chapter ThirtyFour

**Chapter Thirty-Four: **

Yuki bit the bottom of his lip and walked over to the large duck.

"That really wasn't meant to happen," he muttered.

"But it did, so what are we going to do now?" Kakashi asked. Yuki met his exasperated eyes and considered the options for a moment. Then he simply shrugged. Kakashi rolled his eyes and turned around to face the duck in question. It cocked its head to the side and gave a small quack.

"I'm really sorry," Kakashi mumbled, then quickly pinned the animal to the rock. It flailed around furiously and the other ducks immediately charged him, but he acted quicker. Lifting a leg, he swiftly struck it into its torso. Yuki made a face when Beethoven started to turn from pink to a shade of light green.

"How cruel," he breathed, but clasped his hands together in front of his face and lowered his head in apology to his summoning comrade. "I can't think of anything better…"

After a short while of loud screeches and sounds of ugly resistance, Kakashi finally backed away with considerably more cuts, but also with a drenched scroll in his hand. The duck had turned a brilliant green as it lay sprawled on the ground in complete defeat. Its eyes were glazed over and his beak was foaming. It soon disappeared in a puff of white smoke. Kakashi sighed and glanced down at the scroll.

"You know you're going against animal rights?" Yuki said, nodding to the other ducks and they all left, leaving colourful smoke in their wake.

"What else could I have done?" Kakashi retorted. "And why is it _ducks_ above any other creature that you chose for your summoning!"

"Because they are sweet, clever and loyal," Yuki replied proudly.

"Clever, huh?" Kakashi grumbled. "This was such a waste of time." With a shake of his head, he turned and abruptly leapt away.

Yuki blinked and watched his leave. A small chirp brought his attention down to the duckling in his hand. "You _are_ clever, though," he mumbled.

"That's the problem with those youngsters. They always underestimate us. But he'll learn soon, Yuki-dono."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Kakashi grimaced as a headache struck and wouldn't leave him alone. Trying to ignore the wild drumming in his temple, he recalled the last two lines that he needed to solve. An abandoned home; a breaking rock. The two which he had absolutely no clue about. He dropped down from the trees and momentarily leaned against the tick trunks. He closed his eyes and applied a gentle pressure to the side of his head to try and ease away the pain.

No such luck. He pushed away from the tree, his hand lingering on the rough bark. He looked around at his surroundings, shrouded in darkness. He was mildly surprised to find himself closer to the village. He recognised the area, as he had spent the first day of the exam fighting Yuki around there. He glanced down when he felt his foot on a sloping ground, and blinked.

It was the empty den he had used to rest…Realisation dawned.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

In the dark, morning hours, Kakashi straightened and pocketed the last of the seven scrolls whose locations were hinted by the poem. He took a few paces backwards and leaned against the rock that was supported by the broken tree stump, and he closed his eyes. He idly wondered whether the Jounin exam was meant for the participants to use their skills or to rely on sheer luck.

When he had discovered the sixth scroll in the small den, by chance, he had also found a small note saying that he should get to the next scroll within the next nine hours. Considering that the clue for the den was a place he had once rested in, he took the chance of going to the second place he had used for a rest, which was where he currently was. The clue line had made no sense however, and if his guess had been incorrect, he would have been failed. Only now did he understand, with much frustration, why Yuki had chosen such a line for the hint. Above the spot where the scroll was placed was a very fresh, man inflicted gash in the rock.

A small frown on Kakashi's brow deepened a little.

"This rock isn't exactly breaking," he muttered with slight accusation.

"I know, I know, don't be so angry," Yuki said, sitting down on the rock, his legs dangling beside Kakashi. "I needed a seven location though."

Kakashi didn't respond. He was wondering if he should consider it lucky that the headache hadn't gotten much worse, or unlucky that it still hadn't gone away. It was starting to annoy him now.

"Say, have you figured out the last location yet?" Yuki asked.

"I might have," Kakashi replied, turning a little to look up at him. Yuki smirked for moment, then it disappeared and he looked up at the dark sky.

"Don't you need to get some sleep?" he asked casually. "You haven't been resting much."

"I don't think that's an option, now that I might understand where the eighth scroll it," Kakashi said, turning back around.

"Your body won't hold like that; it's going to collapse."

"It can wait until this exam is over."

"You're a strict person, Hatake."

"If you mean that I'm stricter than you, fine. But if you're not as strict as I am, then will you give me the scroll?"

Yuki laughed. "Nope, not the scroll, kid." His laughter subsided and he got to his feet, balanced carefully on the sloped rock. Kakashi pushed away from it as well and turned to look up. The smirk returned to Yuki's face as he pulled his mask on. "If you want it, then come and get it." He leapt backwards, flipping over a branch, then disappearing.

"I wasn't expecting anything else," Kakashi mumbled, jumping up onto the rock, and pursuing him yet again. He was sensing a long two days to come.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

With each breath he exhaled, a cloud of vapour lingered in front of his mouth before disappearing, only to be replaced by another puff. Kakashi sat at the base of a large tree, his head tipped back against the trunk, his eyes closed. In front of him, the snow was crushed and a line had been formed, which marked the place where he had landed and skidded until he had come to a stop at the tree. In his right hand, he gripped a kunai, but it was fallen into the snow. When his panting subsided, he swallowed and opened his eyes. There was sunlight. The clouds had thinned enough for it to shine down onto the winter landscape. In the light, the snow glittered on the trees and even penetrated down to the forest floor.

His appearance, to say it very mildly, was rough. His sleeves bore many rips and tears and were occasionally singed. His clothes were dirty and there were some visible cuts along his arms and legs. Kakashi slowly pushed himself upright and slipped the weapon back into the holster. A suddenly jolt ran from his right shoulder and he winced. Gritting his teeth, he rubbed the shoulder with his other hand until the pain eased away. His eyes narrowed. Whenever they had fought, Yuki had attacked him mercilessly, and he soon came to realise, that his main aim had been the right shoulder. It was only now that he wondered why Yuki knew so much about him. The words that Midori had spoken in the genjutsu about his birthday had only been heard by him and Obito. The ANBU didn't exactly go into the details of what goes on in the hospital either. The only conclusion he could get to, was that they must have done a lot of research.

"It still doesn't explain how he knows so much about what Midori said," he mumbled under his breath. But then he shook his head to clear it and looked around. He didn't have the time to be musing. He took a step forward and bent his knees to jump up when he heard Yuki behind him, and he froze.

"I visited Obito once in the middle of the night," he said.

Kakashi jerked around, and immediately leapt backwards as a kunai landed before him, and on it was an explosive talisman. The explosion went off, and the forced hurled him back, but he was safely out of harms way. Slightly off balance, he landed on a high branch and he lifted his eyes to meet Yuki leaning casually against the trunk of another tree, his arms crossed comfortably across his chest. His mask was fixed over his face, and Kakashi knew that the gem on his earring was green without having to look. A certain scroll hung from his hip on a piece of short string.

"Obito told you?" he asked, his eyes slightly narrowed.

"Yes, though I doubt it was his will. I listened to his dreams. It was a while ago, about a week after that battle. His sister, Nayu-chan is my subordinate, and she seemed worried about Obito's condition back then. So I came over one night, but found the kid asleep already. I was about to leave and come back another time when he started muttering things and thrashing around. I didn't wake him up from his nightmare, but I stayed and listened to what he was saying." He chuckled. "He's still such an amateur to talk in his sleep. But, anyways, that answers your question, I think."

"Then while I'm at it, let me ask you something else," he said. "Why do you always come to me? If you ran around this quarter of the Fire Country, there would be no chance for me to get the scroll within the next two hours before sunset."

"Well, that isn't fun is it? There's your answer. Satisfied with it?"

Kakashi shrugged, then lunged forward, flicking out a shuriken and throwing it. When his hand was free, he clasped them both in front of him and closed his eyes. _Shuriken Kage Bunshin no jutsu_. The weapon multiplied, cutting through the air. Yuki uncrossed his arms and pushed away from the trunk. Snatching out several kunai, he held them between his fingers of both hands and rapidly threw down the onslaught of shuriken. When a path was cleared, he pushed away from the tree, swiftly connecting his knee with Kakashi's jaw. Kakashi flew back from the impact, but disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

"Kage bunshin," Yuki muttered with surprise. Quickly, he regained his balance on a lower branch and spun around. He saw Kakashi perched on tree not too far away, with both his hands together. Immediately he felt the beginning of an illusion start to close in, and he instantly lifted a hand to dispel it.

Kakashi came down on him as the genjutsu disappeared, and threw his fist down. Yuki caught it just before it hit him, and blocked the snap kick from his right with his forearm. He allowed Kakashi to flip backwards, but didn't wait for the boy to be safely back on his feet before attacking. As the first foot came down, Yuki swept his leg against it, knocking the Chuunin completely off balance. Kakashi lost his footing on the slippery branch and fell down, but he hardly took any notice. His hands flew through a set of seals and he inhaled a lungful of air, releasing it as a thin, concentrated streak of fire. _Katon Goukakyuu no jutsu._

Yuki shifted his weight to the right, but caught a brief glimpse of a wire there, and instantly changed his direction. He missed the fire by a hairs width, and he reached back to pull out an explosive kunai. He set the talisman off and threw it down at Kakashi, who was still falling, momentarily incapable of moving quickly after executing the Goukakyuu. Kakashi bit back a cry when the sharp blade dug into his right shoulder, and only then did he realise the strip of paper curled around the handle, but figured it was too late.

The explosion went off, hurling Kakashi back down into the snow, and despite the slightly softened landing, the impact was enough to knock the wind out of him. For a few seconds, he lay in the snow, gasping to regain his breath and trying to resist the pain in his shoulder. The blood slid down his raw, bare skin where the detonation had burned off his clothes, and dripped down onto the white snow. He coughed, tasting the copper on his tongue, and spat it out onto his mask, dampening it with his blood. He gritted his teeth and pushed himself upright, yanking out the kunai and discarding it. He got to his feet with some effort, swaying a little, and backed up against a tree for support while he still breathed fairly heavily.

"Heeh, you still have the strength to stand up?"

Kakashi looked up and saw Yuki on a low branch almost directly opposite him. He closed his eyes and concentrated on breathing for a moment. Then he looked up again and slowly raised his left hand, in which he held a scroll. Yuki froze and quickly glanced down at his side, and found the scroll gone, the string cut. He narrowed his eyes behind the mask. _No, not cut. Burned_, he corrected himself. Then he looked back down at Kakashi and stared closely at the scroll he held up. A wire. He almost laughed.

_The multiplied shuriken, the kage bunshin, the genjutsu. They were all done to distract me from noticing the wire he had been looping around the scroll every time he got close. He had set up a lone wire to ensure that I would dodge the fire to the left, so he could burn off the string that held it. The timing, the control, the aim: all perfect. A genius after all. _He grinned.

"Now that the roles are switched, run Hatake," he said. "For the next two hours, run for your life, because now, I will seriously come to kill you." To emphasise the statement, he practically disappeared in a blur of dark colours.

Kakashi stiffened, then at the last moment, he sprang away to the right, avoiding a full impact with Yuki's fist that dug into the snow, and, he guessed, further, judging from the loud thud. Without looking back however, he ran a little while over the snow, then leapt up into the trees.

Suddenly he caught a familiar scent in the air and threw himself to the left as a gust of wind tore the line of branches where he had been. He didn't stop, and kept going, zigzagging through the forest. He took a quick glimpse at the location of the sun, and realised that he still had at least an hour and a half before he could finish this exam. He cursed to himself when the slight distraction almost got his neck sliced off by a wind kamaitachi blade. It still earned him a painful graze on his left upper arm. If he really didn't gather his concentration now, he would indeed be dead by sunset, or earlier.

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(big smiley) I'm finished with my school writing project! Hurray! The title, Wolf Kreuz (yes, I kind of used ideas from Weiss Kreuz, but only a little, the rest was completely original). Ended up being 60 pages exact. Don't know if the teacher will like it though…It kind of has a number of fighting scenes, which I don't think many novels tend to have…Oh well.

Anyways, that means that I'll be able to work on this again! Although, I have a few deadlines coming up for other things, so the chapters may not rise too often…I'll try my best!

Oh, and a frequent question about the ducks. Here's how it started: The first thing that actually came to mind was a platypus, but I thought everyone would know ducks more…Plus, I didn't really know a lot about platypuses…

**ArrowOfHikaru:** lol. Yeah, I wondered if ducks even _could_ be used, but I'll figure something out. Thanks for remaining alert after the long break!  
**lightdragon:** Hope I didn't make you wait toooo long. Actually, I have a big, pink/purple ty (I'm sure it's a) platypus stuffed animal. So, if I track down all my thoughts, that's where the idea came from. I just took it out of the cupboard by the way. Thanks for reviewing!  
**Alana:** Thanks a whole bunch for your reassuring words. And, thank you also for sharing your thoughts on the chapter. Hehe. Well I mean, being eleven (and judging from the way Naruto was drawn so small at age twelve), I thought the height different wouldn't been too big, so the picturing was indeed very laughable.  
**Chaotic Demon:** lol! Please excuse those random names! I'm always horrible at making up names when it comes down to the time, so I was relieved that I could name them really randomly since they were ducks. Thank you too for coming back to the fic!  
**Leilani:** Yay! Really happy to see you stuck with the story! (hugs) Thanks so much! It doesn't matter at all whether you're the first to review or the last, I'm just happy if you keep reading and like it. (smile)  
**wyldcat:** Thanks for staying up to date! Yup, we'll be seeing some more of the ducks in the coming chapter (shhh). (wink)  
**Katzuki:** wow. That thought of pink ducks while playing a sonata is going to be a little bit disturbing…But nevertheless, thanks for being patient!  
**HanaTenshiHimeko:** hehe. I thought killing was a bit too cruel…If I wrote that, I'm sure ducks would haunt my dreams, and I don't think that'll be too pleasant an experience. Heh. Thanks for the review!  
**NefariousPhoenix**: Thanks for checking back and for the compliment! (am very, very happy). Well, what goes in, must come out sometime…whether from the way it came in, or the other end…hehe.  
**Nezuko:** Well making the dome visible was only a side effect of the Genjutsu Fuuin. The technique actually uses electricity to break the dome wall that can only be felt by using chakra. And since the electricity doesn't spread on its own, Kakashi used the water technique to allow the electricity to pass through and break down the wall. (Took me forever to come up with the solution. I was like, 'great. I've come up with a good idea, but I can't figure out how to cancel this jutsu.'. hehe. Anyways, thanks for reading and reviewing!  
**Sano:** I'm really glad you that you're enjoying it! And also, thank you for checking back after such a long break. I'm really happy.

Thank you all so very much! I was so happy when I saw reviews even after that updateless month or so. (hugs everyone very tightly)

Fanyar


	35. Chapter ThirtyFive

**Chapter Thirty-Five:**

Kakashi shifted his position on the branch and grimaced. Most of the pain came from his bare shoulder, which was clearly burned from the explosion earlier on. The deep wound wasn't making matters any better. On his right side, he had suffered a long cut, and the wound above his right eye wouldn't stop bleeding. He blinked and ran a hand across the cut, but the blood ran down again. He reached down to check his remaining weapons: two shuriken and one kunai, even after what he had collected while running. He looked at the horizon where the sun was almost starting to disappear. Ten minutes. Meaning he had five minutes before his teacher would be waiting at the gate.

Kakashi sniffed the air, his keen nose picking up Yuki's scent from the left. He quickly leapt in the opposite direction, and came face to face with a yellow duck with an abnormally expanded chest. Without thought, he flattened himself against a branch, as a shower of what looked like needles of water flew over him. Once it passed, he immediately sprang forward, knocking the duck off the branch and heard its lengthy squawk as it fell down. Kakashi's attention was already drawn to the next duck in sight. It was the small duckling Yuki had been holding when Beethoven and his flock had been protecting the scroll. Behind, he could feel the ANBU catching up quickly. He swerved to the right, intending to avoid the duckling, when it suddenly started to grow. The grey, scruffy looking thing grew into a brilliant swan, which was definitely far bigger than any other swans Kakashi had previously seen.

He suddenly saw Yuki standing on the swan's head, his hands already flicking through seals. Kakashi didn't wait, and leapt away, but not a second after, he heard a loud whoosh of something being blown, and instinctively threw himself as far to the right as he possibly could. As he tumbled passed branches, he caught a glimpse of ice glittering across a broad pathway, covering everything in its wake.

"Suiton Reidomizu no jutsu," he heard Yuki inform calmly from behind. Kakashi whipped around, jumping back from a vertical slash of the wakizashi. He drew a shuriken, gripping it in his left hand. He lunged forward, throwing the weapon at Yuki's right hand which held the blade, and at the same time, he swung his right foot at the ANBU's head. The shuriken was thrown aside, and his foot was caught. Without pausing, he threw his last shuriken, only to have it caught by the tip of the sword and plunged into his chest with a wild spurt of blood.

A cracked piece of log was what ended up being impaled, and Kakashi landed silently behind Yuki, his left leg coming to connect with his head. Yuki turned around, and didn't bother with the kick, and instead caught the kunai headed to his chest with ease. Kakashi's eyes widened as he was thrown down by a sharp blow to his right shoulder. Everything he was doing was being read. He landed heavily in the snow, and he watched as Yuki came down with his sword, which would no doubt pierce his neck. Kakashi, for the first time during a fight, was at a loss of what to do. He had no weapons, his body was injured too heavily for proper taijutsu, and he only had enough chakra for another one or two techniques. Besides, everything he did was thoroughly read by Yuki. This was the level of an ANBU? Kakashi watched with blank eyes as the tip of the sword came ever closer.

_Close yourself off from your mind and heart. Do not think, act; do not search, feel. If all else fails, rely solely on your instincts. _

_Kazuma-sensei._ Slowly, Kakashi closed his eyes and exhaled. He waited, everything fading away into darkness.

Yuki narrowed his eyes. _In the end, he's a child who succumbs to despair_. He swung down the wakizashi, but was shocked when Kakashi rolled away at the last second. The Chuunin opened his eyes, but they were now different. He could find nothing in those shuttered eyes.

Kakashi got up into a crouch and leapt up, the chakra gathered in his fist, which struck the ANBU mask, cracking it open. Yuki stumbled a few paces backwards from the force, the mask falling away to reveal his eyes wide with surprise. Kakashi dropped down once, then swung his foot almost vertically upwards, connecting with Yuki's jaw and sending him into the air. He quickly followed, flipping forward, and bringing his heel down on the ANBU's chest. He stopped there, leaping away through the trees.

Yuki had braced his arm across his chest just before the last impact, and landed in a soft crouch on the snow. A few drops of blood ran down his cheek and onto the snow from where the mask had cut him, but he didn't move. Slowly, he lifted his head and whistled a low note. A grin returned to his face, and he pursued Kakashi with all the speed he had.

Kakashi ran across the branches quite close to the eastern line border of the exam, and saw the large Konoha gate open. Standing in the middle of it, he saw a figure, which he guessed was Kazuma, though he was still a little too far away to make sure. He ran on, but a presence behind him drew his attention. He narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth. Yuki was catching up quickly, and at this rate, he would be able to intercept him before he got to the gate. He only had one option.

Carefully, he formed a few seals, not sure they would work, since he had only thought about it on his trek from the abandoned den to the breaking rock. Theoretically, everything made sense and it would work, but he could only hope. When he finished the seals, he gripped his right forearm tightly with his left hand, concentrating all his remaining chakra into the right hand. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Obito and his examiner burst out of the trees into the small stretch of clearing before the Konoha walls.

Kakashi came to a sudden stop and pushed off with everything he had from the ground. Gathering all the speed he could muster, he rushed at Yuki, who had just come down from the trees. Kakashi's right hand dragged close to the ground, a burst of blue electrical chakra cackling wildly. Yuki's eyes widened once again in shock, and the best he could do was twist his left shoulder back so that Kakashi's attack wouldn't create a hole right through his body. Even then, the chakra cut deep into his shoulder, cracking his bone and tearing his muscles.

Kakashi withdrew his bloody hand, and swayed where he stood. Yuki dropped to a knee, clutching the shoulder. His face clearly showed the pain, but he looked up at Kakashi and smirked.

"Finish the exam, you hopeless little brat," he said.

Kakashi turned and started running again, his vision blurred from exhaustion and his chest heaving. He stumbled and nearly lost his balance, but caught himself in time, and finally stopped before his teacher. Automatically, he unclipped all the scroll holders and withdrew two from his pockets and handed them all to Kazuma. He felt the sun disappear, and he looked around, finding Obito leaning heavily against the side of the gate, panting and grinning. He looked in no better condition. Yuki came over to join them after a short while, and Kazuma turned to his two students, the familiar smile spreading over his face.

"This marks the end of your Jounin Exam," he said. "The results will be announced to you tomorrow. Now, all four of you should make a beeline for the hospital."

Yuki laughed. "I think this is the first time a Chuunin kid has actually damaged me so much," he said.

"Same here," the second ANBU said, a hand placed against a diagonal cut along his torso.

"Now off you go, while I report this to the Hokage," Kazuma said, then turned to the two ANBU. "I will tell you the appointed time when I get back." They nodded and started to walk through the gate. Obito and Kakashi started to follow, but after a few steps, they both stumbled and fell down, succumbing to unconsciousness. Kazuma raised an eyebrow and Yuki and Ryo blinked.

"I hope you haven't killed my two students out of exhaustion," Kazuma muttered.

Yuki snorted, picking Kakashi up while Ryo took Obito. "If they would die so easily, I wouldn't have had to work so hard for the past week," he said.

Kazuma smiled while the ANBU pair took his students away.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The Third turned around from the window looking out at another nice winter day when he heard the door open with a brief knock. Kazuma, Yuki and Ryo entered, the latter two wearing casual clothes rather than their ANBU uniforms. Yuki had his left arm in a sling, and the bandages could clearly be seen under Ryo's shirt. Sarutobi motioned for them to take a seat, while he sat down himself.

"Kazuma has told me that they both made it to the end," he said. "I would like to know what you each did."

"I started with a stamina check," Yuki said. "I spent about six hours fighting with Hatake. His stamina is more than enough, and his skills are extremely sharp for a Chuunin, especially at the beginning." He paused and glanced at Kazuma. "He has almost completely mastered the Shunshin no jutsu." Ryo and the Third seemed surprised to hear this, but Kazuma remained calm. Yuki continued. "I let him rest the night, then set him off as an illusionary team's leader. His decisions were made calmly and considered the safety of his group. Though, I felt he has a strong sense of abiding by the rules and laws of a shinobi. He used the Shunshin yet again, twice. In total, he used it four times in two days, which obviously took a large toll on his small body. He awoke after about nine hours, and I immediately started the next section of tracking me down. He accomplished this a couple hours before the deadline. The final test I had him do was search out eight scrolls. I gave him the hints of course, that went like this:

Water falls from the sky,  
The land disappears,  
A crater in the surface,  
Death on the field.  
The head of a snake,  
An abandoned home,  
A breaking rock."

Yuki grinned. Sarutobi blinked with a peculiar look of 'I'm-glad-I-wasn't-in-Kakashi's-place' written in his eyes. Kazuma chuckled, while Ryo sighed and shook his head.

"It's a wonder how he figured that out," Ryo muttered. Yuki shrugged.

"Well, he did. I used a chakra barrier first, then did a mental trial using a genjutsu with his old team mate, Midori." Kazuma frowned a little. "I needed to make sure that his mentality was stable enough to keep going as a shinobi. He proved himself capable. After that, I set up the traps underwater."

The Hokage stiffened in his seat. "You had him go through that trial that I forbid you to use?" he asked with disbelief.

Yuki bowed his head. "I'm sorry, Hokage-sama."

"I would have thought that after having experienced it yourself and coming so close to death, you would have the sense not to try it on any other."

"Hatake Kakashi, Sakumo-san's son," he mumbled, his eyes slightly distant. "I beg your forgiveness Sandaime, but I couldn't accept Hatake for who he is until he had passed that trial, which he did, mostly unscathed."

This new piece of information came as another surprise to the three other members of the room. After a few silent moments, Sarutobi sighed.

"Continue, Yuki," he said.

"Hai. For the next scroll I used had him dispel the Genjutsu Fuuin. The speed he learns and absorbs techniques is incredible. After three tries, he mastered it. After that, I had some fun with my ducks, then tested his speed once again. Then for the last two days, he had to first get the scroll off me, then when he had managed that, he had to keep it away from me. Although at first, I wasn't all too serious, once the roles were switched, I fully intended to go for his life. And then at the very end, he finished creating his own technique that he had started to figure out during the week. And thus – " He indicated his left shoulder. "Broken bones, torn muscles, would have had a hole drilled right through the shoulder if I hadn't have acted. That's going to be one dangerous technique."

"I saw that as well," Ryo said. "The chakra became visible in his hand and the noise it made was incredible."

"I was surprised myself," Kazuma added. "He's never tried anything like that during training."

The Third brought his hands together, lacing the fingers and resting his mouth lightly against it. He seemed in thought and the three remained silent. After a few moments, he stirred and looked up now at Ryo.

"I also started the exam by testing his stamina while fighting, and also his skills," he started. "Then I had him lead a group of five illusionary Chuunin, while he travelled around the boundaries looking for six kunai. I used _historical_ facts to pinpoint the locations," and here, he shot a sidelong glance at Yuki, who was busy looking at the ceiling and whistling a Christmas tune, "although, Obito still had some difficulties."

"Kunai?" the Third asked.

"Yes."

"That's harder than my riddles," Yuki said.

"I don't think so," Ryo replied, slipping a hand into his pocket, "since they looked like this." He withdrew a normal kunai, except that it had a very large, bright pink ribbon tied to it. He grinned. Yuki almost toppled over in his chair and Sarutobi sighed, pressing his hand against his forehead. Kazuma was the only one who took it amusing and was laughing quietly.

"Well, this is a little over exaggerated," Ryo admitted, tucking it away again. "I told him that there was a certain reason behind there being six kunai, and once he figured it out, it would tell him the altitude of where to look."

"Six?" Yuki mumbled, then began ticking off his fingers and muttering words like 'chocolate' and 'Donald'.

"'Uchiha'," Sarutobi said after a brief pause.

"No, 'Konoha'," Kazuma said. Ryo turned to the latter and nodded.

"'Konoha' consists of six alphabet words," he explained. "Then according to the whether the letter was closer to A or Z, it would determine the height of where to look at the specific location. To be a successful shinobi, my opinion is that one should have the brain to figure out these puzzles rather than be a 'no think, just fight' ninja." Again, he shot a sidelong glance at Yuki.

"Ahahahaha," he muttered, returning a death glare that contrasted with his forced grin.

Ryo ignored this and continued. "After that section was completed, I returned to combat. However, I wasn't testing him anymore. I was pushing him to the limit and beyond, even to the doors of death. My intention was to drag forth the third sharingan tail, and in the end, I was successful. With the remaining three days, I gave him the first two to track me down and also to master the _Fuyukaze no jutsu_. On the occasions where he caught up with me, I tested his observation skills and also his mental stability. Both proved well. He mastered the technique just before the deadline. A day before the end of the exam, I told him that if I were to reach Kazuma-san before him, he would be failed." He grinned briefly. "I never had the chance to do so."

The Hokage fell into another thoughtful silence, his eyes on his desk, yet distant. The other three waited patiently. The clock on the wall ticked the seconds away, dragging into minutes of stillness. Finally, Sarutobi stirred and lifted his eyes to meet each of the ANBU.

"Were there any weaknesses or faults?" he asked.

Yuki was slightly surprised to hear this question, since he had never been asked that before. A sarcastic reply came quickly to his mind, but he immediately pushed it away, noticing that his leader was serious. He thought for a moment.

"A mind too pure," he replied slowly. Sarutobi turned now to Ryo who looked up from his thoughts as well.

"His hesitation to hurt Konoha comrades," he said. "Namely, myself."

The Third nodded gravely. "What are your opinions? Do you think that they have the potential to become a Jounin?"

"Yes," Yuki said.

Ryo nodded. "Yes."

Kazuma turned to look at the Third, who had gone back to his thinking. No matter what the examiners said, the final say belonged to the Hokage. Even if Yuki and Ryo had both promoted Obito and Kakashi to become Jounin, if the Third said no, they would remain Chuunin. Sarutobi slowly lifted his eyes.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Kakashi stirred from his sleep and opened his eyes. He blinked at the bright light and squinted. Even before his eyes got used to the light change, he felt something warm against his right shoulder. He turned his head and saw a nurse bending over him. When she noticed that he was awake, a ghost of a relieved smile crossed her face before a sudden frown replaced it. She straightened.

"Seriously Hatake," she huffed, planting her hands on her hips. The warmth disappeared. "If I had known you were going to do the Jounin Exam with this shoulder, I would have put a doctor's stop of you. And now you've managed to damage the shoulder yet again!"

Kakashi recognised her as the same nurse who had fixed his shoulder the first time, two weeks ago. He pushed himself with his left elbow and sat up, looking around. He was in a hospital room with the curtains drawn on all sides except to his right, where a window stood behind the nurse. He had no recollection of how he had gotten here. The nurse continued with her tirade.

"I will definitely have to go talk with Yuki-kun. I didn't even have the courage to ask him what had happened when he came here yesterday, _his_ shoulder also half broken and with you in this state. And Ryo with Obito! Augh! I'm officially forbidding you to do anything for the next two weeks. We've managed to close the open wounds and calm the burn down, but the bones and muscles are still instable. If you do anything to it again in the next few weeks, that shoulder is going to end up lame, understand!"

Kakashi simply nodded, and the nurse huffed again, and left. He heard her footfalls disappear and the door to the room was drawn closed. He sighed quietly and looked outside. He couldn't quite tell the exact time, but he guessed it to be around noon or so. Suddenly he heard curtains being shuffled.

"Psst, Kakashi."

"Obito," he muttered, pulling open his left curtain, feeling a twinge of discomfort from his right side which reminded him of his injuries. He saw Obito in the bed next to him, also sitting up. "So you were awake?"

"That woman's voice woke me up," he replied, stifling a yawn. Then he groaned quietly, shifting his position a little. "I'm sore all over."

"Same here," he muttered, flexing the muscles of his arm and feeling the dull pain. He coughed, sending another small jolt of pain from his abdomen.

"Catch a cold?" Obito asked absently, leaning back into the white pillows.

"Maybe," he said, remembering the ice cold water he had spent some time in.

"Oh, by the way." Kakashi turned to see Obito sitting up again with a grin on his face. He cocked an eyebrow questioningly. "What was that last jutsu that you used? I've never seen it before."

Kakashi thought back to that moment, which was no more than a hazy memory by now. "I don't know," he replied slowly with a small frown. "I wasn't really thinking too much, and I can't clearly remember. I just gathered the chakra in my right hand, using a couple seals that help to concentrate it all in one location. Then I just ran at Yuki-san with all the speed I had."

Obito seemed quite surprised. "Wow, then you managed to knock down Yuki with an improvised, never-before-used technique." The bright grin returned. "That's cool! You're going to keep using it, aren't you? It's your original jutsu after all."

Kakashi shrugged. "Probably."

"Then what are you going to name it?"

"Why are you so eager about it?" he returned.

"I don't know, but that's not what we're talking about. Name."

Kakashi sighed and rolled his eyes, looking back out the window. "I don't have a clue."

"Then name it Chidori."

Kakashi turned back, a little more focus coming into his eyes. "Chidori?"

"Yeah. The incredible noise it made sounded like a thousand birds crying, so name it Chidori."

"You suck at naming things, you know that?" Kakashi asked, a half grin pulling at his lips under the mask. _Chidori, huh. I like it_.

"What!" Obito shrieked. "You dare insult my creativity! And besides – "

The sound of the door being pushed open cut off the rest of his sentence, and they both looked to see who had come, although the rest of the closed curtains blocked their view.

"Geez Obito, at least be quiet in a hospital," they heard Yuki drawl. Obito growled. Kazuma pulled open the rest of the curtains for both of them, but motioned for them to stay put. Ryo was also with them. Obito sneaked a death glare at his cousin, who had his right hand in his pocket and was leaning against the rails of one of the beds on the other side of the room. Yuki smirked back.

Ryo glanced back at his fellow ANBU and frowned. "Yuki-san," he muttered.

Yuki sighed. "Alright, alright," he mumbled and came forward to stand between Kazuma and Ryo. He cleared his throat. "We congratulate you on surviving and finishing the Jounin Exam," he said in a more serious tone. "Through the thoughts of Hokage-sama, a decision has been made about the results to each of your attempts."

He narrowed his eyes slightly and paused, his gaze locking first with Kakashi, then with Obito, lingering a little while longer on the latter. "The results, are the following: – … "

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Do you consider yourself lucky that the chapter was long, or unlucky that I didn't write the results? Sorry, you'll see on the next chapter, I promise!

**Translations:**

_Reidomizu_: (the combo technique Yuki uses with his swan) zero degrees waters is the literal translation. Ice.  
_Fuyukaze_: (the technique Obito was required to learn) winter wind. I might write more about it in later chapters.

**Leilani**: The teacher apparently read it over the weekend and he described the story as 'blood filled' 'sticking swords through throats' and he told the girls of my class, 'if you stay with her too long, she's going to affect you in a negative way'….At least he didn't say anything too bad…Pakkun will come, perhaps in the sequel, but I'll sure as heel include him! Thanks for reviewing!  
**NefariousPhoenix: **Sorry, Leilani appeared to be the first. But I should tell you that I really don't care who the first to review is. I'm just glad if everyone enjoys the story. Thanks for taking the time though.  
**HikaruOfArrow**: hehe. Thankies!  
**Wyldcat**: Kakashi kill Yuki? O.O (shakes head furiously) No! No! No! I love Yuki too much to kill him! Uh, I have no idea about explosive tags myself. Never really did the research, so I improvise…lol. Thanks for the review!  
**HanaTenshiHimeko**: Yep, updated as soon as I could! (it being 23:43 here at the moment…) Anyways, thanks for reading and reviewing!  
**Sano**: yay! (bounces around with the banner) I love him too! Hope you liked this chapter too. Thanks for dropping a review!  
**Nezuko**: yup, the 'direct all attacks at one point' strategy is clever…I don't really remember where I came across that idea, but, oh well. Glad you liked it! And thanks as always for reviewing!  
**Katzuki**: hm…after the Jounin Exam? Yep, everything's planned out from here onwards! (big grin). Thank you for your compliment. I'm happy that people enjoy the fight scenes. It's difficult writing them so people don't suddenly go 'huh? What happened? How did he get from this to that?' in the middle of reading. Hehe. Anyways, thanks for reviewing too!  
**Delano**: Hello! Thanks for reading and dropping a review! Very kind of you to do so! Yeah, I know about the spelling and grammar mistakes. Mostly stupid typos, but I don't go over every chapter since I just want to get it uploaded as soon as I'm finished. Lol. I added the ducks mainly for some humour relief, so I guess they would be a bit strange. Anyways, hope you keep on reading!

Thanks everyone!

Fanyar


	36. Chapter ThirtySix

**Chapter Thirty-Six:**

Yuki and Ryo walked out of the hospital, out into the cold, sunny afternoon. They walked in silence down the streets, occasionally passing people on the less frequently used roads. Ryo glanced at his colleague without moving his head.

"I've been wondering, but could it possibly be that you purposefully took that blow to the shoulder from Hatake?" he asked.

Yuki met his eyes, and blinked once, then grinned sheepishly. "No, I would have dodged it completely if I could. But I had been underestimating him yet again. It was my flaw for going that fast. I had no way of manoeuvring quickly. To be honest, I didn't even predict that attack coming. Being even an ANBU, it's embarrassing."

Ryo sighed. "You haven't changed at all over the years, Yuki-san."

He grinned. "Neither have you." He reached over with his right hand and ruffled Ryo's hair, much to his distress. He quickly pulled away with a frown.

"Yuki-san!"

Yuki laughed. "How was it, by the way? Your first Jounin examiner job?"

"Well, I mostly followed the protocol I was given," he replied, then shrugged. "I guess it was okay."

"Good. It looks like you gave little Obito a nice challenge. Just out of curiosity, how did it go with the Sharingan?"

"I did exactly what you told me to, although I still say it's a dangerous way to try and force the third pupil to appear."

"It is, to the majority of average shinobi. But there are a handful of them that are capable of going through the risk and taking the short cut. Obito is one of them. Besides, the Sharingan usually appears when the user feels a rush of extreme emotions. Fear of dying can well be one of those emotions."

"I don't think he was afraid," Ryo replied thoughtfully. "It felt something more like a devotion to live."

"Devotion to live?" Yuki repeated quietly. "Come to think of it, that's exactly the same as when I placed Hatake into the illusion with his dead team mate."

"Even though they're so young, they're strong," Ryo said.

"If they grow up in these times, exposed to all the horrors the Countries are seeing, I suppose it's only natural. Strength is the only thing that will keep them upright. It's unnatural and sad to see."

Ryo simply nodded. They walked around a corner and came out into the more busy streets. Yuki looked up from the ground, and his usual grin returned to his face.

"Dango(1)," he said, nodding in the direction of the small shop. "Let's stop by."

"You know I don't take a particular liking to such sweet things," Ryo replied with a half suppressed sigh. Yuki raised a brow, and Ryo gave in. "I'll have some tea then."

They entered the shop and sat down at an empty table. The chef was busy with something behind the counter, with his head ducked from sight, but he welcomed them nonetheless. After a moment, he straightened to see who it exactly was. He was a slightly aged man, a retired ninja after his bad accident decades ago, which had rendered him useless as a fighter.

"Hi there Ryo, and Yuki – what did you get involved in _this_ time!" he asked, his tone changing abruptly in the middle of the sentence. Yuki grinned and stuck his tongue out in a childish way.

"I was in charge of a Jounin Exam, that's all," he explained.

"Were you playing around again?" he asked with half lidded eyes of exasperation while he brought them two steaming clay mugs of green tea.

"No! I was being serious this time!" Yuki protested with a frown and an exaggerated pout.

"Oh really?" the man muttered, though his voice still remained dubious. Yuki glared. He laughed and went back to the counter. "The usual, is it?" he asked. Yuki nodded. The man turned to Ryo. "And you don't like sweet things." He went to work.

"I don't always take things playfully, Gaba Oji-san," Yuki grumbled.

"I know," Gaba said, bringing over a plate with dango. Once he set it down, his face turned into curiosity. "But it must have been quite some Chuunins to hurt you two."

"I'm sure you've heard of them," Yuki said between mouthfuls. "Hatake Kakashi and Uchiha Obito."

Gaba's eyes widened. "Those youngsters. They already took the Jounin Exam?"

"Yep."

"And? Did they pass?"

Yuki swallowed and turned to the man, a lopsided grin spreading across his face.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The door to the hospital room closed after Yuki and Ryo, and silence fell. Obito sighed and fell back into the pillows, his eyes closed. Kazuma remained standing where he was, and Kakashi didn't move either. After almost a quarter of a minute ticked by, Obito snapped his eyes open and bolted upright.

"Yesss!" he screamed, his voice ringing around the room. Kakashi shot him a sidelong glare at his head gave a painful twinge at the loud shout. Kazuma smiled at them.

"Congratulations for passing the Jounin Exam, Obito, Kakashi," he said.

Obito hardly took any notice, shoving the covers off and jumping off the bed, only to give a pained "Ow!" when his weight came down on his injured legs. Kakashi rolled his eyes, as Kazuma quickly came over.

"You're such an idiot," Kakashi muttered, loud enough for Obito to hear.

"I am not!" he growled back, using both their beds to heave himself upright. "Ow that hurts!" he hissed, plopping onto his bed with Kazuma's help. He rubbed his right thigh and leg calf, both of which were bandaged. He grumbled about Ryo being a merciless devil.

"In any case, you'll be having a small break now," Kazuma said. "Relax and take it easy for the next two weeks or so. Only after that, will we continue the training and missions." He paused a second before adding in a slightly quieter voice, "Or I think that nurse will be out to get my head." He smiled, his eyes curving up.

"So that means you'll still be working with us as a teacher?" Obito asked.

"Yes. That was Hokage-sama's one condition," he replied. Obito grinned. Kakashi also smiled slightly under the mask. "But now, you need the rest. You are to stay here another night before you can go home."

With that said, he paused a moment, then left the room. Obito got back under the covers, but with nothing to say, they both remained silent. All of a sudden, Kakashi fell into a coughing fit, and he winced against the jolts of pain he received.

"You okay?" Obito asked. Kakashi took a breath to steady himself and nodded.

"I'm going back to sleep," he said, lying back down. A headache was becoming a constant pain in his head and he was starting to feel dizzy again. He assumed it was his body's reaction after many hours of deprived sleep and constant action. He closed his eyes and almost instantly fell asleep.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

After talking to the nurses briefly, Kazuma left the hospital and walked silently down the streets. He was glad that the two had passed the exam, but there was a fraction in his heart that was worried. Worried for their safety and the burdens they would no doubt have to cope with. One couldn't deny the fact that they had only lived for eleven years. He sighed and allowed his feet to carry him to wherever they decided to take him. He had no further plans or appointments for the rest of the afternoon in any case.

A group of children, no older than five, ran past, shouting and waving plastic kunai in the air. Behind them came one other, chasing them. Suddenly, a small boy stumbled and fell, splashing onto the wet ground. The chaser ran by, tagging the fallen boy with a triumphant cry and followed the others, who took no notice.

"That's not fair!" the boy cried, tears already welling up in his eyes. Kazuma squatted beside him, helping him to his feet.

"Are you all right?" he asked, brushing off the mud from his clothes. The boy glanced at him, his shoulders shaking as he began to cry. Kazuma wiped his thumb across the small cheeks, taking away the dirt that clung to his skin. "You don't have to cry," he soothed. "What's your name?"

"To…Tokiya," he replied through hiccups.

"Why are you crying, Tokiya?"

"Be…Because they're unfair! You can't get tagged just because you fell down!"

"Are your parents ninjas?" Kazuma asked. Tokiya nodded. "Do you also want to become a ninja?" Again, a nod. "Then," he said, placing his hand on the boy's damp hair, his eyes solemn, "you have to learn that there is nothing 'fair' in the world of the shinobi. Everything is allowed, even tagging someone because he fell down. It's probably _because_ you fell down, that he tagged you. So to prevent that, all you need to do, is run without falling."

"Run without falling?" Tokiya repeated, his tears coming to a stop as his interest grew.

Kazuma nodded. "Can you do that, Tokiya?"

The boy stared at him for a moment longer with wide, innocent eyes before he wiped his tears with his knuckles. A bright smile took over and he gave a big nod. "Yeah! I won't fall anymore! Thank you!" He turned and ran after the others.

Kazuma straightened and watched the small figure disappear around the corner with a gentle smile. _By the time he grows up, let's hope that the war has finally ended._ He continued walking, and after a while found himself in the middle of the training grounds, in front of the memorial stone. The snow was still thick in the open, but trodden by teams and the Academy students. He reached out to the names carved in them, and he crouched before the stone. His hand slid down the list of names, pausing briefly on a few. The wind blew his blond hair across his saddened eyes as he stared at the dark stone. _So many. So many names of heroes who died for the village._ He dropped his hand and closed his eyes. _But each of them had families, friends, lovers, siblings. People they loved. If it is at all possible, I want to save everyone of Konoha Gakure, because I love them all._

"Kazuma-san." He slowly opened his eyes and straightened, but didn't turn around to face the Jounin. "Hokage-sama wishes you to come to the Mission Office for a sudden A rank mission."

Kazuma turned around and nodded. "Thank you for informing me," he said, and disappeared when a gust of wind blew past.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Kakashi woke up to another coughing fit and he opened his eyes. He felt a cool hand against his forehead and looked up to see the nurse. He attempted to sit up, but she pushed him right back, the frown deepening.

"Stay put," she ordered. "You have a high fever." She withdrew her hand and bustled out of the room. He blinked, noticing it was light outside. He turned to see Obito still asleep. Despite the order, he sat up, placing a hand over his eye and forehead. It was then that he noticed a presence in the room, and looked at the opposite wall at a certain location.

"You're sharp, Hatake," Yuki said, lowering the camouflage sheet.

"I thought I already finished the exam," Kakashi responded.

Yuki shrugged with his free shoulder. "Doesn't hurt to come and visit you, does it?"

"Then what's with the hiding?"

"That nurse that just left," he hissed. "She wants me dead. And if there's one thing I've learned in life, it's never to anger women."

"Oh," Kakashi muttered. "And? What do you want with me?"

"What? Do I really have to have a reason to just visit?" Yuki asked with a look of hurt.

Kakashi rolled his eyes. "Spit it out, Yuki-san."

"You need to learn to respect your elders." At Kakashi's glare, he sighed in defeat and walked over to the side of the bed. "I just wanted to talk."

"About?"

"Your father, Hatake Sakumo-san."

Kakashi immediately stiffened at the mention of his late father. His eyes clouded and Yuki was quick to notice the difference. He shrugged and took a step back to lean against the window.

"Well, I guess now isn't the time, is it?" he mumbled, closing his eyes in resignation. "I'll come back another time." He pushed away and started to walk around the beds towards the door.

"Wait," Kakashi said. Yuki stopped and looked at him without turning his head. "There's something I want to know."

"Shoot. I'll answer if I can."

"You said you weren't a dropout of the Uchiha clan. But Obito said that you only recently got in after several negotiations. Is the ANBU level so high?"

Yuki thought about this for a moment before replying. "No," he said. "I don't mean to brag, but I could be considered quite above average amongst the ANBU. The only reason I didn't join at a much younger age is because I didn't want to. After what they did to Sakumo-san, I was determined not to join. The negotiations were done to try and persuade me to join, not the other way round like everyone has been told to believe. Does that satisfy as your answer?"

Kakashi nodded once, silently brooding over what he had said. Suddenly Yuki tensed and he screwed up his face, biting his lip. Kakashi frowned. The ANBU took a few quick paces back, until he was against the window again.

"I need to go," he said quickly. "Good luck, Hatake." With that, he spun around, pulled the window open and leapt out. Just when the tips of his hair disappeared, the door to the room slid open and the nurse came back in.

"Hatake!" she immediately screeched striding across the room and slamming shut the window. She then turned on her heels and bore down onto Kakashi. "I told you to stay put! Why on earth would the window be open, may I ask!"

"You have a really loud voice, ma'am," Obito grumbled, sitting up and yawning. He turned to the nurse while rubbing his eyes. "We felt a little too warm and stuffy in here."

The nurse huffed and pursed her lips, then walked over to Kakashi. She placed her hand against his forehead again and paused.

"38.3 degrees," she mumbled, handing him a small bottle of medicine. "It should calm that fever down in several hours. Although I recommend you stay another night, if you take the medicine for the next few days and keep _resting_, I can let you out in the afternoon."

"I'll take the second choice," Kakashi replied.

She rolled her eyes and muttered something about boys.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Later on that day, as the sun was dipping into the west, Kakashi and Obito stood before Midori's grave where freshly lit incense was burning.

"We passed the Jounin Exam, Midori," Obito said. "If you had taken it, I'm sure you would have failed."

"Obito," Kakashi said.

He chuckled. "I'm just kidding, relax, Kakashi. I'm sure you would have passed as well, Midori."

They stood silently before the gravestone as the sun began to fade. They remained there until the last rays disappeared and the lights came on in the houses. They walked down the road leading to the village, both being content with the silence and lost in their thoughts. Only their soft footfalls, almost in unison were heard stepping lightly over patches of snow.

Two shinobi who now took a step deeper into the world of the ninja, destined to keep treading that path, following it to whatever end it may bring.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Sorry it took a little while to get this up. I (painfully) devoted my entire last weekend to studying for a driving licence (the little scooter thing), and then I was working my behind off trying to finish an English project that I had left until the last moment. (sigh) But now I have a little more time, at least enough to fit in at least ten to fifteen minutes of writing everyday. Yay! Anyways…  
Sorry, forgot the:  
**Translations:  
**(1) _dango:_ hmm...how should I explain this...They're like snacks, soft, chewy, round balls of...what...something sweet. Yeah, kind of confusing. If you're looking for a visual look it up in google images. I just checked and they have the correct things. Just type in 'dango'. Sorry for the bad translations...  
_oji-san_: a word that you add on the end of names for middle aged men. Something like -san, -kun, -chan and so on.

**Leilani**: Hehe. No, the teacher didn't fail me, but my Health project is yet to come… . But the English teacher liked it. I had originally written it for English class and she gave me and A. In any case, thanks again for reviewing as always! Hope you enjoyed this last chapter too!  
**HanaTenshiHimeko:** lol. Sorry for that and the wait! Hope you enjoyed and thank you for reviewing!  
**Chaotic Demon:** I couldn't get myself to fail one and pass the other. (grin) Thanks for the review!  
**Nezuko:** I actually really enjoy reviews. It gives me feedback, compliments and makes me think about other ideas that I can explore. For example, after reading your review, it caused me to write about Yuki and Ryo talking a little about the exams. I also tried to follow Kazuma a little, but I'm a little afraid to do that. I feel that he is such a deep, complex character and it makes me hesitate about writing his thoughts and feelings too much. Kind of weird…But no, there's no tension between Yuki and Ryo. They're childhood friends. And yes, thanks for the explosive thoughts. It makes perfect sense. Anyways, thanks for the review!  
**Patty: **Thanks for dropping a review! I'm glad you're still reading and enjoying it. Yes, I'll be sure to add more on the techniques that came up. Hope you liked this chapter too!  
**Wyldcat:** Hm, hm, cliffies! Ah, I hate them too when I'm a reader. It drives me insane. Hehe. Sharingan…That'll all come soon. We're getting ever closer! Thanks for the review!  
**Katzuki:** Um…Was Obito's test generally easier than Kakashi's…? I would say no, they were about the same difficulty. Yeah, I was thinking about giants ducks, and it might appear later on, perhaps even in the sequel if not in "Nakama". Anyways, thanks for reviewing!  
**Alana:** heh, yeah, I updated a little quicker last time. Pent up ideas I guess. I'm glad you liked them, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well. Kind of rounding off the whole Jounin Exam arc. Thanks for always reviewing!  
**NefariousPhoenix:** wait no! Don't cry! Lol. I don't use toooo many cliff hangers…Thank you for the review though, before you went off and cried…(big, round, wet, puppy eyes). Uh Itachi's sharingan. To be frank, I have no idea…Sorry…  
**Delano:** Thankies! Well, when you get a little more descriptive in battle, then there's a tad bit more blood in it…For example, a little excerpt: "Rio stood with his sword pierced through one of the man's heart. The other was on his knees, but soon dropped to the ground, his blood starting to pool from his open wound through his throat. Rio pulled his blade out and stepped aside to let the other man fall with a gurgled groan. …. She managed half a scream when she saw Lin, but the sound was stifled when Lin ran her short blade across the woman's neck, cutting her main arteries that pumped the blood to her head. Her wide, fearful eyes grew distant as the life drained from her body, and she crumbled on the ground, her blood spilling onto the cement. Lin stared down the shock stricken face; the open eyes staring blankly back up at her." And yes, I do know that Kakashi seems a little too good, but I can't help it…It's difficult to write about…  
**the essence of popsicles**: hehe. Thanks for your compliments! I'm so glad everyone seems to get along with my fighting scenes. Lol. Yuki's fanclub! I agree, he is cool. The secret behind the earring…is just that he had two of them, one green and one red. It was to test Kakashi's observation skills. Anyways, thanks a bunch for dropping a review and I hope you continue reading on, as I will be writing about my version of how Kakashi receives the sharingan. Sometime in the near future… (I love your name btw)

Thanks everyone!

Fanyar-


	37. Chapter ThirtySeven

**Chapter Thirty-Seven:**

The signal.

It could barely be seen through the clouds of dust that rose from the strong explosions and winds, but it immediately caught the attention of a number of shinobi. Kakashi froze and threw out an arm. The six ninjas who were following came to a halt and stood at ready. Kakashi narrowed his eyes as a gust of wind swept past, blowing the loose soil particles up into the air, and away to the west. It cleared the vast, battered field for better visibility. The ground was scarred and in areas cracked open, rocks displaced and large chunks of land overturned. Over the disfigured terrain were weapons of all kinds, ranging from the ordinary kunai to chained sickles. Around, or between the earth and weapons were the bodies of fallen shinobi from various countries.

Kakashi slowly straightened from a tense stance, his arms falling to side, the grip around a kunai loosening a little. His eyes were trained on the back of his teacher, who stood around fifty metres away. Kazuma stood still, his hands empty of weapons. Gradually, all the forces of Konoha drew back or came forward to the line where Kakashi stood. They automatically formed ranks according to their levels, the Jounin and ANBU remaining up front. They waited. Obito soon came to join him, but kept his silence, as did everyone else. All the sound of battle had ceased, and only the occasional rustle of the wind could be heard.

Behind Kazuma stood the shinobi of Konoha and the Sand. Before him were the Mist, Cloud and Rock. The forces of all Five Great Shinobi Countries had been present in the battle. Silence, tense minutes ticked by, where every ninja were alert in the case of deception in the enemy. Finally, one man stepped forward from the Rock group and disposed his weapons and holsters onto the ground. Then he made his way to Kazuma. They locked gazes, but neither of them had any anger, hatred or the intention of killing. The shinobi stopped a few small paces away from Kazuma.

"I am Mori Kyouza, leading the ninja of Iwa Gakure no sato," he said. Then he lowered himself to his knees, placing his hands on the ground, and bowed his head formally. He remained in that position. "In order to prevent further bloodshed and loss, Iwa Gakure surrenders to Konoha."

A stir ran through the groups, but no one spoke up, or took action. Kazuma eyes left Kyouza when there was movement in the Mist ranks. A middle aged man walked forward, likewise disarming himself and stopped beside the bowed shinobi. A cut on his brow prevented his right eye from opening, but his other stared calmly at Kazuma.

"Houmura Junkichi is my name," he said. "I represent the Kiri Gakure no sato. We have no desire to bow down and do your bidding, throwing away our dignity. However," he paused, and dropped down to his knees and lowered his head, "a warrior must know when it is the time to fight, and when it is futile. After long years of war against you, we wish to create peace."

Once again Kazuma looked up to see a slightly younger shinobi step forward. His only weapon seemed to be a katana, which he unsheathed and struck into the ground. Then he proceeded to stride towards the leaders.

"We have lost this battle and the last chance to turn the tide against you," he said. "A continuation would only lead to families mourning over pointless deaths. It is clear who the stronger is. Kumo Gakure seeks peace with the Five Great Shinobi Countries." He too bowed his head to the ground. The leading commander from the Sand came forward to stand by Kazuma, who continued to look at the three bowed shinobi.

"Please, stand up," he said. Slowly, they raised their heads and got to their feet. "As the Hokage, I would like to extend my peace to you all. I have no intention of ruling over you. Although the past cannot be forgotten, the future can be changed. Let us build a better future for all the Countries." He paused and received the agreement from the others. "A formal Treaty shall be made and signed in a few days time."

After a few nods, silence reigned once again. Kazuma was the first to turn his back and start walking back to the Konoha ranks. They tensed. If the enemy had been pretending, now would be the time that they attack, when Konoha's strongest shinobi had his back towards them. Kakashi's hand drew back and hovered over the holster. However, the three other leaders also turned and walked back. The Sand ninja backed away as well. When Kazuma reached the Jounin and ANBU lines he stopped and briefly scanned the shinobi gathered. They had lost many, he noticed solemnly, although they had fared better than the Mist, Rock and Cloud. Those who survived were weary and their appearances were battered. None of them stood without their clothes being streaked with blood, either their own, or from their foes. There were levels ranging from experienced Chuunin to ANBU. Medics were also present.

He sighed almost silently and glanced at the sun that was sliding down in the west. It had been a long day. He attempted to smile reassuringly to the shinobi.

"After we clean up, let's go home," he said. "It's all over."

Kakashi went with the others to the scattered bodies Obito trailing after him. Neither of them had suffered from serious injuries, although their clothes were torn and cuts and bruises marked their skin. They went to work in silence. As Kakashi bent down, he glimpsed a somewhat familiar face amongst the dead. Those glazed, distant eyes stared right back at him, and a name miraculously rose to the surface of his mind. Kuraba. He traced back his memories and finally came upon the event that was so blurred and hazy. Kuraba, one of the three Mists they had fought while escorting Gamashi Kengou. He reached over and slid the eyelids closed.

Obito came up behind him to see what he was doing. A small frown creased his brow for a moment before they eased back once he remembered. It was difficult to forget things, even if they had only met once, when they were six years old. Their trained memory wouldn't allow things to be forgotten so easily.

When everything was done, the Konoha shinobi were returning to the village from the north western border where the final battle had taken place. When they entered the forests, Obito started to move forward through the group, and Kakashi followed with a small frown. The Uchiha only slowed down when he reached the front where Kazuma was leading. Their teacher immediately noticed them and raised a questioning brow.

"Sensei," Obito said, falling in step with the older shinobi as they continued to leap from tree to tree. "Isn't there a possibility that the enemy will suddenly refuse to sign the treaty? Then everything will start back up."

"There is a possibility, yes," Kazuma replied, taking his eyes off his student. "But none of them had that look or presence of deception. They could well simply be good at pretending, but most shinobi hold pride and honour in whatever they declare. I decided back there that I would take the chance, as any leader would have to at the end of a war."

Obito considered this a moment, then nodded.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

It was a nice, spring day that looked down on two young Jounin in the graveyard. The sky was occasionally dotted with clouds and the breeze blew frequently across the land. Birds chirped merrily on the trees, full of healthy green leaves. A peaceful day.

"Midori," Obito said, lighting a few incense sticks before the stone. "The war's over. They all signed the Treaty. It's finally over."

"It took another almost two more years to settle it, but it's done," Kakashi added.

"With Kazuma-sensei as the Yondaime Hokage, things are going to get better," Obito said cheerfully. "Keep watching Midori, and _don't_ fall asleep while you're at it." He grinned.

"Why do I dread this year's upcoming Obon Matsuri (1)?" Kakashi muttered.

"Oh don't worry, that's only in August, like half a year away," Obito replied.

"Five months," Kakashi corrected. "You know how long it takes for her to calm down?"

Obito thought about this, scratching the back of his head absently. Suddenly a large grin took over his face as he looked down at the stone. "I'll bring you sweets the next time we come!"

Kakashi rolled his eyes. Just then he noticed another presence and turned around. He was a little surprised to see Midori's mother standing there with a small batch of flowers. Apparently, she seemed quite taken aback as well. During all the visits they had made to Midori's grave, they had never met Matsune since the day of the service. Obito turned around when he felt a difference in his team mate and blinked a few times when he saw the woman.

"Matsune-san," he muttered.

She blinked once and smiled softly. "Hello Obito-kun, Kakashi-kun," she said, walking towards them. They moved aside for her and she arranged the flowers before the stone and brought her hands together before her face. She briefly closed her eyes to pray, then opened them, and stared at the grave, the smile still playing on her lips and portrayed in her eyes.

"Over two years now," she said quietly, turning to face the two boys. "My, you've both grown." She chuckled at their surprised, slightly embarrassed expressions. "Thank you for coming so frequently to visit Midori. I'm sure she's very happy. I also want to apologise for my behaviour during the funeral. What I said must have hurt you, but I took no notice. I'm very sorry."

Kakashi shook his head, but Obito's mouth was quicker at moving.

"You must have been very shocked as well," he said. "We hold nothing against you, so please don't apologise like that."

"You are very kind, both of you," she replied, her eyes softening and a gentle smile pulling her lips. She placed her hands on their shoulders. "Thank you, and please take care of yourselves. Did you know that Midori used to talk about you two everyday? And when she did, she looked so happy. Thank you for being there for her, and please live for her sake as well."

"Hai," they said quietly in unison.

"Thank you so much," she whispered, then straightened and walked past them. She blinked back the tears that threatened to rise and strode quickly away, not wanting them to see her crying again.

"But." Obito's voice stopped her and she stopped. After a pause she turned and saw the two boys looking at her. "Please take care of yourself as well, Matsune-san," Obito said.

"Eh?" she breathed, blinking, this time in slight confusion.

"Midori wouldn't like to see you suffering," Kakashi said.

Slowly her face melted into another soft smile and she nodded. Then she turned again and walked out of the graveyard, disappearing down the stone steps. Obito sighed, looking over his shoulder at the silent stone.

"Should we go as well?" he asked Kakashi, who nodded. "See you later then, Midori."

They walked between the isles of gravestones until they too reached the stairs and they descended them. The path, flanked with trees was littered with pink cherry blossom leaves.

The two had grown, both mentally and physically. They were now taller and no longer did they have any of the childish appearances. No more 'baby fat' remained on their bodies, the muscles well toned and seemingly the only thing between the bone and skin. Their clothing, however, had hardly changed at all. They rarely now wore the Jounin vest since they had both come to an agreement that it attracted too much unwanted attention and it was just a bother to remember it every morning. Obito still wore the dark shirt that reached halfway down his forearm, bearing the Uchiha crest on the back. His goggles still occupied his face and his trousers remained gathered under bandages near the bottom. As he walked, he pulled out a thin, wooden stick and stuck it between his teeth. As Obito kept his goggles, Kakashi still wore his mask. His navy shirt was half sleeved, his forearms wrapped in a thin layer of bandages. His trousers were also tied down at the hem.

When they came to the edge of the path and looked down at the village from their slightly raised location, they could see that there were many Sakura trees in full bloom around Konoha. They paused there, gazing down at the seemingly peaceful village. From there, no one would suspect that the people had just gone through decades of endless war and suffered so much.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Kazuma shifted a pile of papers to the right of his desk and leaned his forearms onto the wooden surface and looked down at another paper lying in front of him. While he read through it, he reached over to a scroll and unrolled it. His eyes flickered between the two for a moment before he placed both of them to the left. From the pile on the right, he took the topmost paper and scanned through it, placing it to the left once he was finished. He took a quick glance at the pile he still had to go through and couldn't help a sigh. The windows in the office were all open, allowing the warm breeze to occasionally waft in, which was his only relief to the never ending paperwork. He glanced at the calendar propped up on the desk: July 25th. The months proceeding after the war's end had gone by quickly.

A knock on his door drew his attention.

"Come in," he said, and an ANBU entered wearing the uniform and mask. He handed Kazuma a scroll, which was read through. "Any problems?"

"No," the ANBU replied.

Kazuma nodded. "Thank you for the trouble."

The elite ninja bowed and swiftly left the room. Kazuma turned his eyes back to the scroll and carefully read through it again. Finally he sighed again and put it down on the desk. He leaned back in his seat and tilted his head to look up at the ceiling.

"Gotten bored of paperwork, sensei?"

"You would be as well if you had so much."

Kazuma smiled turned the chair around to face his two students. Obito was sitting on the windowsill with his legs hanging in the room while Kakashi leaned against the frame with his hands inside his pockets.

"That stuff just isn't my forte," Obito retorted, tilting his head and shooting Kakashi a glare of annoyance. When Kakashi didn't meet the glare, his eye twitched and he turned back to Kazuma. He eyed the large pile of paper with distaste. "Looks like you're kept quite busy, as usual."

Kazuma nodded with a weary smile. "When did you get back from your mission?" he asked.

"This morning," Kakashi replied.

"How did it go?"

"Successful, although I hope you don't send us with a group again," Obito said.

Kazuma cocked an eyebrow. "Why is that?"

He shrugged. "I'm just so used to working with just Kakashi and sometimes you. I couldn't get too comfortable having to deal with them all there."

"I agree," Kakashi added.

"I can understand that. For the past few years you've been together for almost everything, so it's normal for you to become accustomed to it. You don't even have to think about the other because you know what he will do and when. Isn't that right?" They nodded. "Although that's amazing teamwork, it isn't only that. Working in larger groups is also teamwork. Remember, to a shinobi – "

" – teamwork is above all the most important thing," Obito finished with a grin. "We know sensei."

Kazuma smiled again. "Good."

Another knock sounded on the door. Kazuma gave the two a purposeful glance before turning around in the chair and calling out a permission to enter. Kakashi and Obito quickly hid away from sight, concealing their presence to a point where an average ninja wouldn't be able to sense them.

However, the one who entered the office was no average ninja. Yuki closed the door behind him and removed his mask. He glanced at the Hokage, and nodded, then his eyes trailed to the window and his lopsided grin immediately came to his face.

"Long time no see," he said, walking forward, his gaze still trained at the window. Both Obito and Kakashi were regretting the fact that they weren't more thorough with their concealing. Obito was the first to reluctantly show himself, resuming his former seat with a sigh.

"It just last week that we saw each other, Yuki," he muttered.

"Not to worry, not to worry. Time seems to pass too slowly at times, little cousin."

Obito growled quietly. Kakashi also came back to stand beside his quietly grumbling team mate and nodded silently to Yuki. Since the Jounin exam, the ANBU had somehow managed to 'bump into' him quite often. Half of those times, Yuki had talked about his father, and he had gotten used to hearing short stories of his memories. That was often times when Obito wasn't around. When he _was_ around, the time would usually be spent in a 'you tease me one more time and I bite your head off' mood, which was never very serious.

So it surprised both of them when Yuki simply grinned at them once then stopped acting stupid. His face became gravely serious as he locked gazes with Kazuma.

"What is it?" the Hokage asked, noticing from the start how uneasy the ANBU had been.

"A third shinobi has gone missing," Yuki replied. "A male Chuunin, age 23. It has been three days since his disappearance, and we have not been able to find him anywhere. He was not assigned any missions and he should have no reason to be away."

"Does he have any connections with the other two?"

"None."

"His name?"

"Sawakichi Junbei."

Kazuma sighed almost inaudibly and propped his elbows up on the desk, resting his chin on his folded hands. He fell into silence, brooding over the case. His eyes became distant, his brows knitted together in a light frown. The other three waited, not disturbing the heavy silence. None of them moved until several long moments ticked by. Kazuma finally dropped his hands and looked up at Yuki.

"Continue your search, and be on the lookout. That's all I can say for now."

"Hai." Yuki waved cheerfully to the two boys then bowed to Kazuma and turned around. He placed the mask on his head and exited.

"Missing shinobi?" Obito asked. Kazuma stood up and walked over to them, not meeting their eyes and instead looking out at the village. He nodded.

"It started around four months ago," he said. "A young Genin disappeared all of a sudden. After he had been missing for two days without contact and reason to be away, we searched the whole village for him, and even scanned the whole Fire Country. We didn't find him anywhere. Two months after that, a Chuunin went missing in a similar fashion, and now another Chuunin."

Obito frowned at this news. "Once the war problem was finally solved, a new one rises, huh," he muttered, though his voice held no joke.

"No," Kakashi said. "There are always many problems. Such as the Kyuubi that has started to be seen in far Countries, I suppose?"

"Kyuubi?" Obito repeated.

Kazuma glanced at Kakashi with curiosity. "How did you come by that information?"

The boy shrugged. "I overheard some people talking about it during a mission."

"Indeed, he has been spotted by a few and he poses a great threat to any Country. Peaceful times are still far away."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

And that marks as the end of this chapter. I do realise that wars probably aren't ended in that fashion in the middle of the battle field, especially between ninjas…I don't know why I wrote it that way. Really strange. Please overlook it as one of my crazy-minded ideas…

**Translations:**  
_Obon-matsuri_: the festival of the dead, I suppose is what it is in English.

**HanaTenshiHimeko**: lol yeah. Between me and my older brother, I was more of the boy, so I find it easier to write about their reactions/reactions. Thanks for reviewing!  
**Leilani:** Thanks. I just hope I can be a little more imaginative…Anyways, hope you enjoyed!  
**Patty:** Thanks for the review. Hehe. I love how Obito and Kakashi act, even though I'm the one writing them…Well, I write what my mind sees, so I guess I like the Obito and Kakashi in my mind…(frown) I don't make sense either. Anyways, glad you're liking it!  
**Wyldcat:** lol! Obito is just so nice…Anyways, thanks for reviewing and I hope you liked the chapter!  
**Nezuko:** sorry about the earring. Didn't really want to go too deep into that, since it was just an exercise to test his observation skills. Anyways, yes, more action will be coming up soon. I think I'm actually starting the curve that will lead me to the homestretch…Oh, and yes, I did go through a lot of difficulties putting in that section with Yuki and Ryo. I was originally going to just skip to this chapter, but I couldn't resist the temptation of such a good idea…Thanks for the idea and review!  
**The essence of popsicles**: lol. I take it that you don't mind my battle scenes…yay! I never really had any confidence in them until a lot of people said they really liked it. Makes me so happy! Yuki fanclub badge. Hehe! I want one too then! And yes, I didn't like how the Kazuma/Tokiya part turned out either…That's why I really don't want to write too much about Kazuma. He's just so…untouchable! Anyways, thanks for reviewing!  
**Delano:** heh, yeah…I get especially descriptive when it's a single event and I have sad, slow music on…I should stop that habit. Lol. Well, I can't say anything about Kazuma yet. Please hang on. Thanks for dropping a review!  
**Alana:** don't worry. I hate headaches too…worse stomach-aches…Okay, getting personal here. Lol. I'm glad you like it, and thanks for reviewing! Yeah, I didn't have the heart to twist the plot so that one of them fails…I love them both so much!  
**HikaruOfArrow:** Thankies! You know, I'm always very careful when I write your name now. 'Hikaru' is kind of hard to type…But I like the idea of the name. (grin)  
**Katzuki**: hey…some people actually have the same taste for humour. (bounces around happily). Hope you enjoyed and thanks for reviewing, as always!  
**NefariousPhoenix:** Yuki without Sharingan, why? Um…no I haven't mentioned it before. I think I've read somewhere in the manga that not all the Uchiha possess the Sharingan…I guess that's the reason…(damn, I wish I could write smileys and not have them be disappeared when I upload it…grumbles). Anywho. Thanks a bunch!  
**Littleadryan:** No problems at all! I'm just glad you still enjoy the story. Thanks for dropping a review in your busy schedule!

Thank you everyone!  
Fanyar


	38. Chapter ThirtyEight

**Chapter Thirty-Eight: **

Obito yawned and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. The sun was just beginning to creep up into the sky, which promised another nice, autumn day. He pushed a hand through his messy, scruffy hair then proceeded to tie his Hitai-ate across his forehead and settle the goggles over his eyes. It was still quite fresh at this time in the morning and he quickened his strides to keep himself warm. It was also since he noticed he was running late. Or rather, he was already a few minutes past their meeting time. Mumbling a mild, quiet curse, he abandoned the streets and sprang up onto the rooftops, startling a cat out of its hiding on the way.

It took around twenty minutes to walk from the Uchiha manors to the main office building of Konoha under the stone statues of the previous leaders. The Fourth's face was yet to be completely due to the war, although his basic outline had already been carved and they had been busy for the past few months. Leaping across the roofs at a quick pace, Obito managed to arrive only six minutes late. He landed softly in a light crouch and looked up to see Kakashi leaning against the wall off the building with his arms crossed casually across his chest.

"You're late," he said as his friend walked over.

"Sorry. The alarm clock decided to take a holiday in the south to enjoy the remaining warmth," Obito said smoothly with a serious expression.

Kakashi rolled his eyes and hit the Uchiha's head with the back of his hand. "Let's go," he said, ignoring his friend's grumbling protest at being smacked and then commanded.

When he realised that Kakashi was going to keep turning a blind ear to his tirade, Obito sighed and walked up the stairs beside his friend. He yawned again. "Why can't they give us a break?" he mumbled. "We only got back yesterday from a week long mission, and before that, we only had two free days. We haven't had a proper break for almost half a year."

"Seven months," Kakashi corrected, his voice a little cold, bordering on annoyance. "And you complain too much."

"Well, _someone's_ in a foul mood this morning," Obito muttered under his breath, sneaking a glance at Kakashi. His eyes were a little distant as they were trained on the steps, yet not seeing them. Obito recognised that shuttered expression and a small, worried frown passed over his face. _What is today? The 7th of October. A clear, autumn day. About to receive a new mission. Don't know yet whether we're alone or with another group. October 7th…That rings a bell somewhere…_

Suddenly, his eyes widened and he looked at Kakashi again, who didn't show any reaction. "Ah, sorry," he said quickly, looking away. "I didn't realise that today was…" Kakashi reached out to the door and Obito noticed for the first time that they had arrived. He dropped his eyes and didn't say anything else while they entered and were met by a Chuunin and Kazuma behind a long desk.

"Good morning," Kazuma said with a pleasant smile. Kakashi nodded his head in greeting.

"Morning," Obito replied, managing to cover up his concern with a grin.

"Well then, you are assigned to an A rank mission," Kazuma said, holding an unrolled scroll. "You will be a group of three, and you're mission is capturing a group of Missing-nins from the recently established Hidden Grass Village. They have been rampaging the nearby towns and this request actually comes from the Hidden Grass. They were apparently the ten strongest shinobi from the village, so none of them can even think of defeating them."

"Isn't that just an assassination mission, which the ANBU usually takes care of?" Obito asked.

"Not quite. The request asks us to bring back those ninjas alive."

"Even then, a village's top ten? You expect three of us to accomplish this?"

"Certainly," he replied. "Although it will be a challenge for you, it is nothing that you are incapable of doing, or so I believe."

Obito sighed. "Well, we don't have a right to refuse in any case. Who's the third member?"

"Me," Kazuma said with a smile. Obito blinked once, then twice until the word registered in his mind.

"What!"

Even Kakashi raised his eyes that held some surprise. Kazuma chuckled as he stood up, placing the scroll on the desk. He turned to the Chuunin.

"I'll leave the rest to you then," he said.

"Hai," the Chuunin replied. Kazuma walked around the desk and towards his two students.

"Come now, we leave in ten minutes from the Western gate."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Sensei?" Obito asked.

"Mm?"

"I still don't get it."

"Get what?"

"Why you're coming with us. You're the Hokage after all."

"Hmm…A way of escape from the paper work!"

Obito looked at the cheerfully grinning Kazuma through half lidded eyes of disbelief and exasperation. Before Obito could quite get over the shock, they had left the village and were travelling quickly through the forest. He glanced to his left where Kakashi was still silent and distant, then to his right where Kazuma was still grinning like a hyperactive child. He sighed. What a way to start the day.

"And? How are we to start this mission?" he asked after a while.

The grin finally faded from Kazuma's face and he became serious once again. "The request arrived late last night, so it must have been sent in the early evening. They wrote that it had been a week since the shinobi deserted the village, and that they had so far lost twenty eight ninja who tried to get them back. The most recent town that was attacked was still in their Country, so that's where we'll head first."

"What kind of a town is it?"

"A small one, in the north of the Grass Country. There's nothing really special about it, as far as we know. But since the country lies in between the Five Countries, the people have been through some tough times."

"I see," was all Obito said, and after that he remained silent. He glanced at Kakashi once, but saw no difference in his expression. He started to open his mouth to say something but stopped and closed it again, looking away. Better to leave him alone for now.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The three arrived in the town late in the evening, and they separated and did a quick scan of it. As Kazuma had said, Obito noticed that although the houses and buildings were still in good shape, the people's faces grew dark and distrustful when they saw him. So after the first few encounters where the locals narrowed their eyes at him and mothers pulled their children in the house, he took to the roofs and kept himself out of sight. The few people who were walking the streets were silent and grave, never stopping and talking to each other, even for a short greeting. The lights pooled out from the houses, but it didn't feel all that merry and welcoming. Broken streetlamps were very frequent, but there were no obvious intentions of trying to fix them.

He landed on the highest building he could find and took a quick look around. It was strange though. There wasn't anything severely damaged from what he could see, and that didn't quite fit the description of 'rampaging'. With that thought in mind, he headed back to the meeting place they that established, which was slightly distant from the town where they had the cover of a few dense trees and large rock boulders.

When he arrived, he noticed that both Kakashi and Kazuma were already there. Kazuma was sitting casually on a boulder and Kakashi was leaning against a nearby tree with his hands within his pockets. He walked over to the boulder and lightly jumped up onto it to join his teacher.

"Strange, isn't it?" Obito asked, automatically starting up the discussion.

"I agree," Kakashi said, which were the first few words that Obito had heard from him in a while.

Kazuma retained his silence, which told them to keep going.

"The town showed no sign of being damaged recently," Obito said. "Although, the people did seem to generally have a distrustful aura surrounding them when they saw me."

"Distrustful is one thing," Kakashi said, "Fear is another. If they had really been attacked, they would show more of the latter, and even some aggression. They didn't show that even when they could probably tell that I was a shinobi."

Obito scratched his head with a frown. "Could it be that they know the difference of the villages?"

"Even if they did, it is likely that they would have reacted in another way," Kakashi replied.

"The reality does not match the given information and logic," Kazuma said calmly from where he sat. "What do you do now?"

"Search for the true facts ourselves," they answered, more or less in unison.

Kazuma smiled and nodded. "But it's already late tonight. We can start that tomorrow morning."

Obito sighed. "Fine," he said, plopping onto the rock, then rolling down in until he hit the floor. "I'm going to sleep then. Good night." He yawned once, then in a few moments, was already asleep. Kazuma chuckled.

"Perhaps the morning call was a little too early," he muttered, before turning to Kakashi. "You should get some rest as well, if you can. I'll keep watch for the night."

Kakashi nodded and simply sat down, leaning his back against the tree and bowing his head a little to shade his eyes from plain view. Kazuma watched him for a while, then glanced down at Obito. They had both grown a lot in the past two years. They had surprised him a little when they seemed to naturally known what exactly to do. Although they had waited for his orders, he could tell that they were already aware of what had to be done. They had been through a number of A rank missions in the past since they had become Jounins. He was more than satisfied with their growth and it made him proud to see them come so far.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The moon had been in the sky for hours now, moving silently, never halting. There were a few thin clouds that sometimes obstructed the full light of the moon, but the night was illuminated well. The wind blew in small gusts, constantly disturbing the leaves that had already fallen onto the ground, lifting them up and setting them down a few metres from where it had been before.

Kakashi stared at the ground, his hair flailing in the breeze, brushing against his face. He was aware of the cold that was surrounding him, but he ignored it. His mind was elsewhere, seeing something else other than the dirt at his feet. He was only half conscious of the presence that suddenly dropped down beside him.

"Sorry for asking you to do a mission on this day," Kazuma said softly, sliding down the trunk of the tree until he sat beside his student.

Kakashi blinked, bringing his senses back to the present. "It doesn't matter," he said, without moving from his position. "It's already in the past. It's my fault for always clinging onto it."

Kazuma glanced at him from the corner of his eyes before tilting back his head to look up at the moon. "Did you go again today, to your old house?" he asked after a moment of silence.

Kakashi nodded, then momentarily grinned bitterly under the mask. "It was as empty as when I moved out of it. No one wants to live where Sakumo took his own life after purposefully failing his mission."

"On this day, nine years ago," Kazuma mused quietly under his breath. "What would you have done if you were him on that mission?"

At this question, Kakashi snapped out of his bitter accusation and diverted his eyes to the side, his teeth clenched. "I don't know," he muttered.

"Your answer to that question becomes more and more uncertain each year I ask you. Now you have friends and comrades. If you now given a choice between mission and comrade, like your father once had, you aren't sure which you would choose. Unlike before, now you understand that the importance of a nakama can be as important a mission. Only now do you understand the weight of this choice that Sakumo-san had to make. Even then, can you not forgive your father?"

Kakashi was in the midst of swirling conflicts. Although Kazuma had always come to talk with him on the 7th of October, the day when his father had killed himself, he had never pressed the conversation so far. Even Yuki had never touched upon such subjects. Suddenly, Obito moaned and shifted his position on the ground.

"The White Fang…wasn't…a shinobi failure," he mumbled quietly, yet loud enough for them to hear. Kakashi glanced at the turned back, and acted without thinking. Grabbing a round stone beside him, he threw it at Obito, hitting him precisely on the head with a dull thud and a pained yelp. He immediately leapt to his feet, spun and glared at Kakashi, one hand nursing his throbbing head.

"What the hell was that for?" he hissed.

Kakashi found his own anger rising, but didn't stop to ponder why. "Pretending to be asleep and listening to things that you don't need to know?" he growled back, looking up a little to meet the glare with cold, narrowed eyes.

"I was just trying to help you out. I'm sorry if it was useless help, but you didn't have to throw that stone so hard," he snapped, then turned around with a huff. Kakashi also lowered his eyes and glared at the ground. He was somewhat surprised to hear Obito speak again after a moment. "But you know," he said, his voice much calmer and quieter now. He looked over his shoulder and locked gazes with Kakashi again. "I think of the White Fang as a true hero."

Kakashi's eyes widened for a moment, before he closed his eyes, swiftly rose to his feet and leapt up into the tree. Once he was out of sight, Obito turned around fully and faced his teacher who also stood up.

"Sorry for butting in like that," he said.

Kazuma shook his head. "I think it might have been for the better," he replied. "The rest is up to him. Whether to keep dragging Sakumo-san's death and therefore strictly follow the rules and laws of the shinobi, or to overcome it and cleave his own way of living as a ninja."

"I hope he chooses the latter," Obito muttered, a small frown on his face as he looked up the tall tree. "I hate the days that follow this one. That's when he's still in conflict with himself and he shows more strictness in following the rules." He paused, then continued in a grumbling tone, "He's so damn hard to deal with when he's like that."

Kazuma merely chuckled.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Uh, yeah, I promise I'll get to the main events (Kyuubi/Disappearing people) soon. This won't last much longer, but I need them to serve their purpose. One of which is the problem described in this chapter. Hope you all enjoyed it!  
No translations, I believe. Well, _nakama _is like, friend, comrade. I can never translate it too well….Oh and I do realise that Kakashi's dad died when he was around seven, but I changed that a little. Please forgive me.

**Leilani:** lol. Thanks as always! Well, one of the main climaxes of the story are the parts that are to come, so I hope you'll enjoy!  
**Patty:** Yup, they're coming quite quickly now. As far as the timeline, I think I'll break off "Nakama" and start a sequel later, which will be about Kakashi and his ANBU days. I don't know how far it will go though…Anyways, thanks for reviewing!  
**HanaTenshiHimeko:** I hope I didn't make you wait too long. Lol. Uhuh, old problems fade, new problems arise. Thanks for the review!  
**Wyldcat:** Well, I won't answer anything, and I won't comment about your guess. (smile). Yeah, well, Kakashi will receive his sharingan in the near future, and I can tell you, it'll be quite different from the way he gets it in the manga. I hope everyone won't mind…Thanks for always reviewing!  
**NefariousPhoenix:** lmao! That made me laugh! Are you a guy then? Anyways, yeah, since a lot of people like him so much, I guess it'll be okay if I use him in the future somehow. Thanks for the review!  
**Katzuki:** Yep, Obito has the sharingan since when Midori died. Well, as you saw, not all the countries are at peace, I guess…Though this is only a mini side plot, so don't worry about it too much. Thanks a bunch!  
**Lightdragon:** Hm, well I hope you could follow along with the transition chapters. They kind of skip months a little. I think I've stated the dates/months though…Hope you liked the chapter and thanks for reviewing!  
**The essence of Popsicles**: lmao! That _would_ be scary, but I'm glad you're kept content. (smile) Kabuto, eh…I have to do some research on him, and if I can, I might. I'd love to see the badge design! Do upload it if you ever come to drawing it! Anyways, thanks for dropping a review!  
**Delano:** Phew. At least not _everyone_ knows about Orochimaru when I give out the tiniest hint. If you don't know, I'm even glad! (grins) I was beginning to think I give too obvious hints…You'll find out soon! Thanks for reviewing!  
**Alana:** I'm very glad you enjoyed it! And I in turn really liked your long review! (big smile). Ah, thank you. I'm relieved to know that the conclusion of the battle wasn't too bad. Anyways, hope you continue to enjoy!  
**Audriel:** hehe, thank you very much! I do hope you liked this chapter and the events that will follow, although I'll say this now, the Kyuubi incident won't be very big. The latter of the two events will probably be the more climatic. (Does that word even exists?) Oh well…

Excuse me for some of the lacking review responses. Kind of getting late here and I have lots to do… . noo! I don't want school! There's this one neighbour who is always sitting at the desk of her office, and every time we drive past, I think, 'how I wish I could sit in front of the computer all day and just write to my heart's content (sigh)'. Sorry, my drabble…

Oh, and something I have to ask **_everyone_**: Do I need to say this is an AU? I don't really know what it exactly stands for, but isn't it for stories that don't follow the manga plot, although we know about it? (ie: Kakashi's past)…I couldn't figure it out, so please tell me! Thanks!

Thank you everyone!  
Fanyar


	39. Chapter ThirtyNine

**Chapter Thirty-Nine: **

Once the sun was fully in the sky indicating around mid morning, Kakashi finally descended the tree and joined Kazuma and Obito. His teacher was once again sitting calmly on the top of the boulder, leaning his weight back onto his hands as he looked up at the mostly clear sky. Obito sat the base of it, idly playing with a piece of long, thin stick in his mouth, shifting it from one side to the other. They both looked at him when he landed quietly.

"I guess it's about time we go?" Kakashi asked, although it was more of a statement than a question.

"I agree," Kazuma said. "How do you think we should start?" Obito bit down on the stick, carefully watching Kakashi from the corner of his eyes.

He paused for a moment before answering, "The most direct way would be to ask the people, but we can't guarantee that they would tell us anything. But other than that, I don't have an idea." Kazuma smiled, then nodded. Obito's face broke out into a wide grin, which caused Kakashi to frown in confusion. "What?"

Obito shook his head. "Nothing," he said, but Kakashi still looked at him disbelievingly. He was reassured that Kakashi wasn't suffering too much inside. Usually, in situations like this after the day, he would have said something along the lines of, _Since I am not the leader of his group, it is not my position to tell you what I think. You are the leader, we are the subordinates, and we listen to what you say without questioning it. That's the law_.

He snapped out of his thought when Kakashi stooped down to pick up another, more ragged rock. Obito gave a frightened shout and immediately brought his hands up in defeat, his grin wiped clean from his face. Kakashi half glared at him for a few moments before Kazuma's chuckle stopped him from coming to the conclusion of throwing the rock at Obito in any case.

"We have a mission to accomplish," Kazuma said, still with his smile, the laughter still evident in his eyes. "Come now, let's get going."

"Hai," they replied.

Once they were on their way to the town however, Obito finally sighed, which caused Kakashi to glance at him. "I just got saved from having a twin lump on my head," he muttered, rubbing the one he received during the night.

Kakashi rolled his eyes. "You won't be so lucky next time," he replied.

"Actually, luck seems to be on my side lately."

"Luck is luck," Kakashi mumbled dismissively.

"But as the saying goes, one's luck is determined by one's skills," Kazuma added, turning his head a little to join their conversation.

"See?" Obito said with a grin.

Kakashi raised a hand to his face and shook his head. Their short discussion came to an end when they reached the edge of the town and they stopped. After a quick series of instructions, Kakashi and Obito went together and Kazuma headed to another part of the town. The two young Jounin walked silently down a narrow, dirty alley before they came out into what looked like one of the main streets. There were more people than the night before, but their looks of suspicion were still the same. They walked around for a little while before Obito suddenly took out some money and headed towards one of the food shops.

Kakashi frowned. "Obito," he said, catching up with his companion, who was now looking around the snack bread section. "What – "

"Since you have no social skill at all," Obito muttered quietly so that the shop owner couldn't quite hear them, "I'm taking over the situation. Leave it _all_ to me."

Without quite being reassured, Kakashi followed him to the cashier and stood a little behind him. The man narrowed his eyes at them, a clear look of distaste etched on his face. Obito merely smiled and extended the two chocolate breads he had picked out.

"Morning, sir," Obito said cheerfully. "How much would they be?"

"It's written on the packet," the man replied gruffly. Obito blinked and looked down at the plastic covers. He quickly did the math and handed the man a few coins he held. The keeper only grunted as he put the money away.

"We only got to this town late last night, and I was wondering if you could tell us a little about it," Obito said.

The man sneered. "What do ninjas need to know about our town?" he demanded.

"Oh, so you knew." Obito chuckled lightly. "Well, then that makes things easier. We're from Konoha, in Fire Country. We're on a mission concerning some number of shinobi from the hidden village of this country, and it looks as if they came here quite recently. Do you know anything about it?"

Kakashi was quick to notice the man pale at the mention of the Grass shinobi, but he covered it up by snorting and then glaring down at them. "I don't have a clue," he snapped. "So get the hell away from this town, ninjas."

Obito sighed disappointedly. "Alright, sorry for bothering you, sir, but thank you for the snacks!" He grinned again, and headed out to the shop, Kakashi following behind him. "Here." Obito tossed one of the breads to Kakashi, who caught it automatically, then looked down at the label.

"You know I'm not too fond of sweet things," he muttered.

"That's a pity, it's good," Obito replied, chewing on his. They walked further down the street, quietly contemplating what to do. They tried one other shop, and also questioned two citizens, but none of them agreed to tell them anything. Now they continued to walk down random streets, Obito with his hands locked behind his head and Kakashi with his hands in his pockets.

"I guess this is harder than we thought," Obito sighed, speaking around the stick that was once again in his mouth.

"Who was it that said 'if it all to me'?" Kakashi mumbled.

Obito shot a sideways glare at him. "It usually works when you ask _nicely_."

"Oh." They walked on in silence for a few strides, when Kakashi turned his head slightly to glance over his shoulder. "It's not my imagination is it?" he asked, although he was already convinced.

"Nope," Obito replied quietly. "It's been a while since I've played hide and seek."

"We don't have time, Obito," Kakashi said, but his friend was already a few strides into his run. Kakashi sighed and shook his head, sprinting after him through the streets.

A boy quickly looked up as the two started to run away, and he chased them. Weaving in and out between the citizens, he turned into a smaller street, and followed the two into a narrow alley between two tall buildings. It was quite dark in there, and at the entrance he paused. There was no one there, save a cat that was rummaging through the garbage and showed no sign of having been disturbed. He frowned and took a few uncertain steps into the alley. He was sure they had turned in here, but it was a dead end.

"You don't have a liking for stalking do you?" a sudden voice said, which made the boy jump and immediately look up. Obito dropped down from the bottom of a narrow ledge on the side of the building and landed behind the boy, blocking his way out. Kakashi came down in front of him. The boy's wide eyes betrayed his nervousness and he backed away to the wall. He looked no older than ten, his scrawny hair sticking out in all directions. He wore brown trousers and a white, long sleeved shirt, both a little ripped and dirty. He had what looked like a piece of tape stuck on the bridge of his nose and a short stitched up scar was evident above his left eye. His eyes darted from Obito to Kakashi.

"Why were you following us?" Kakashi asked.

At the question, the boy gulped and regained some of his confidence, a look of determination flickering in his eyes. "You're Konoha ninjas, aren't you?" he asked. His slightly high pitched voice confirmed that was indeed still a young boy.

"Yup, we are," Obito replied, pushing the stick up, then shifting it to the left side of his mouth. "Who are you?"

"My name's Jan," he said. "The son of that old geezer who runs the shop where you bought the bread."

"Oh, that man," Obito muttered, then frowned, looking down at the boy. "Hey, do treat your elders with respect."

"Heh, respect?" Jan spat disgustedly. "They're all just cowards who don't deserve even a bit of it." He glared at them challengingly, his nervousness completely gone and replaced with vivid anger.

"Looks like there's a deeper meaning to your rant," Kakashi said, then repeated his earlier question. "Why were you following us?"

"I heard you talking to the geezer," Jan said. "I'll tell you about those Grass ninjas."

"I see a condition coming up," Obito mumbled.

Jan smirked. "I'll only tell you if you prove that you're stronger than me."

Obito blinked. "I beg your pardon?" Even Kakashi seemed unprepared for such an answer.

"Well, it makes no sense to tell everything to people who are weaker than me," Jan said, bending down quickly and withdrawing a knife from under the bottom of his trousers. He lunged forward without warning, the knife swung in a horizontal arc at Obito's chest. The Uchiha jerked backwards, but caught his heel on some stray planks of wood and went crashing into a pile of garbage cans and boxes with a distressed cry. Jan pursued him, leaping up and then coming down with his knife brandished.

Kakashi intercepted him, coming in between him and Obito. He grabbed the smooth sides of the knife and deftly twisted it out of Jan's grasp and pushed him away to the side where he landed on his back with a grunt. Kakashi dropped down lightly on his feet, still holding the small hand weapon by its blade, but his attention was on the messy pile beside him where Obito's head just appeared.

"Idiot," he said, with more than a bit of annoyance in his voice. Obito grinned sheepishly, then got to his feet, brushing himself off. Jan didn't look too pleased.

"I'm not convinced that you're stronger than me," he said.

Obito scratched the back of his head. "Mm, well I may not be, but I think you've seen that he is," he responded, pointing at Kakashi with his thumb. The boy narrowed his eyes in thought, then finally sighed. He got up and then sat down on a sturdy wooden box with his legs crossed with his elbows resting on his knees.

"Those Grass ninjas came three days ago," he began. "Since the town's located where it is, we never really trusted ninjas, but we weren't afraid of them since they never did any harm to us. But the moment they came, they took a handful of young children and held them as hostages. They said that if we didn't tell anyone about them and did as they told they would give the children back unharmed when they leave. That's why everyone's obeying them and bowing down to them. They haven't even _tried_ to get those children back. That's why I'm telling you what those cowards are too afraid to say. If I tell you where those ninjas are, can you save the children?"

"Yeah, we probably could," Obito said. "But why are you so determined that you would go this far to save them?"

Jan's eyes dropped to his hands. "Asami…My little sister is one of those who were taken," he said quietly.

"I see," Obito muttered. He grinned and pushed his hand down on the boy's head, ruffling his already wild hair. "Don't worry, we'll get her back safely."

Jan glared up at him and scoffed. "How can a weakling like you say that with such confidence?"

"Because I've got a strong buddy," he replied smoothly. "Oh, and by the way, I'm Obito, and he's Kakashi."

"What weird names."

"You really have no respect for anyone, do you?" Obito asked through clenched teeth and a strained grin.

"Respect is to be earned," Jan replied.

"Cocky brat," Obito grumbled.

"So where are they?" Kakashi asked, getting back on topic.

"In an inn called _Shepard_, which is to the south of this town," Jan said.

"Hmm…Well, we should meet up with sensei first, shouldn't we?" Obito said. Kakashi nodded his agreement glancing up at the sky.

"We should get going. It's around time to meet up with him," he said.

Obito turned to the boy. "Thanks Jan, you've been a lot of help. We promise that we'll bring Asami-chan back." They turned and leapt up, when Obito suddenly gave another short scream and disappeared. Kakashi sighed and rolled his eyes, stopping his ascend by sticking to the wall and looked down at Obito sprawled on the ground with a string looped around his ankle.

"Who said you could leave like that?" Jan asked, the other end of the string held in his hand. Obito pushed himself off the floor and rolled over to sit up, rubbing his sore face. He looked up at the boy with a questioning frown.

"How else should we have left? We're kind of pressing for time, so going over the roofs is the quickest way," he reasoned.

"That's not what I mean."

Obito waited for him to keep going, disentangling himself from the rope. When Jan said nothing more, he sighed and wondered in the back of his head, if he had been so annoying when he was younger. "What do you want then?"

Jan didn't answer straight away, instead rolling up the string, then stooping to retrieve his knife. When he straightened again, he looked Obito straight in the eye. "I'm going with you."

"You're what?"

"I'm going with you."

"No you're not."

"Yes I am."

"No, you are not."

"Yes, I am."

"You are going to wait at home like a good boy and wait until we bring your sister and the other children back," Obito said.

"I'm going to do what I want, and no one has the right to order me around," Jan argued.

"Jan – " he started, but was cut off when Kakashi came back down and fixed the boy with a cool gaze.

"This is originally our mission that must be accomplished," he said. "In return for your information, we agreed to help you. Nothing more. Even if you come, you won't be able to do anything except be a hindrance to us."

"Are you telling me to wait here with the cowards, sit and do nothing!" Jan snarled.

"Yes." The blunt, cold reply, as demanding as an order, cut off any further protests and the boy slowly lowered his eyes to the floor. Kakashi turned and leapt up to the roof. Obito watched Jan sympathetically for a moment longer, then turned as well. Before he followed Kakashi though, he looked over his shoulder once again.

"You should try some of that chocolate bread while you wait for us," he said with a grin. "They're really good. We'll beback before you know it." With that he cleared it to the roof and caught up with Kakashi. "That was a bit of a harsh way to put it."

"How else would he have listened?"

Obito shrugged, then sighed. "I wish I could have such persuasive skills, minus the harshness of course."

"You're asking for too much. And what was with all the useless acting?"

"I don't know, but part of it wasn't acting. I'm not kidding!" he said when Kakashi gave him a disbelieving frown. They didn't say anything else until they reached their meeting place, back at the boulder. They found Kazuma already waiting there. He looked up and smiled when he saw them approaching.

"Are we late?" Kakashi asked, landing beside his teacher.

"No, I came back quite early," Kazuma replied. "Did you find out something?"

"Yeah, a boy told us everything, including the Grass ninjas' hideout," Obito said.

"Good. The inn _Shepard_, isn't it, where they have some children as hostages?"

Obito blinked and leaned over to Kakashi to whisper, "Why is it that I feel as though he had a much easier time getting the information than we did?"

Kakashi simply shook his head and Kazuma cocked his head to the side questioningly.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

There we go. I somehow got through five pages of writing in around six hours…Sounds long when I say it, but considering it usually takes me around a week, I guess it's quick…? I don't know…I've been reading Hellsing manga half the time so…It's a really good series if you've never tried. The manga is a little bloody though. Lol. Anyways, no translations, as I've just checked and onto the review responses!

**HanaTenshiHimeko:** I was debating whether to put 'he went on a honeymoon with the living room clock' or the actual one that I wrote, but I ended up using just the south warmth. Hehe. Thanks for reviewing!  
**Patty:** lol! Well, I don't know if the sequel will be nearly as long as this one (I'm really surprised at how long this one is getting), but I hope I can meet your expectations! Thanks for the review!  
**Lightdragon:** Thanks for the explanation. But I have changed something major: Kakashi's past. I guess I'll write the AU somewhere…Anyways, I'm really glad you're enjoying it!  
**Katzuki:** Well, if I continue on from this fic, it's going to end up really, really, really long…And I need a transition from the end of this storyline and onto the next one. But yeah, I still need a lot to think about, but thanks for dropping a review!  
**Leilani:** Yeah, I do agree with you about every fanfiction being an AU. Thanks for the help and the review! (grin). Heh, well you're right about the calm before the storm. Homework…ugh. I'm getting really bad now…German test: 72 percent. Chemistry test: 74 percent…Oh well…I'm allowed to slack off this year.  
**NefariousPhoenix:** Thanks a bunch for the clarification. I guess I'll add an extra note in somewhere in the first chapter. Naruto arrogant, snob. Lol!  
**Wyldcat:** I wonder if it's possible to forget to update. Hehe. It's the first thing I do the moment I finish typing the last sentence of a chapter, even if it means staying up until two in the morning on school days. The Uchiha clan's reaction huh…I was just reading a short story about that, and your question got me to think a little, but I haven't come to a conclusion yet. I will though, and I'll definitely write about it, even if it happens to become a flashback in the sequel. Thanks for the review as always!  
**The essence of popsicles**: We have something in common: our math teachers are soo boring! She has a dry sense of humour which I like during the five minute break we get, but during class, her monotone is like a lullaby. Except, if I fall asleep, I think I'm done for. Lol! Kakashi pmsing! Uh, well, as for the timeline, I'm not quite sure myself. I'll definitely have stopped when it comes to Team Seven though. Thanks for the review!  
**Audriel:** yes, Kakashi will be getting the sharingan sometime in the near future. And unfortunately, Naruto probably won't make an appearance…Sorry. I've started to read "Ayame". Sounds promising. I like it so far. I'll make sure to review it. Thanks for your review!  
**Anime Lance:** Thank you! I hope you continue to enjoy the story!

Thanks to anyone else who is following along!  
.Fanyar.


	40. Chapter Forty

**Chapter Forty:**

Obito paused in front of the inn and glanced at the four story building. Above the entrance was a sign that read _Shepard_, and the few steps that lead up to the door was flanked with metal railings. _Probably for the drunkards_, he thought idly as he mounted the steps and pushed open the door. Inside to the left was a large, open door that led to the bar which was full of tables and seats, although most of them were still empty. As he glanced in the room that still reeked from alcohol and smoke, he could clearly imagine how it would look during the night. Currently there were two old men sitting at the raised bar, and what looked like three travellers around a round table in a corner.

He turned away to his right, where there was a considerably smaller room. In it was a large reception desk in the far right corner and a flight of stairs to his left. In the corner opposite the desk were a low table and two waiting couches. Behind the desk there were small slots in the wall where the room keys were kept when unused. A middle aged woman sat there, apparently doing some paperwork, although he couldn't quite see beyond the high surface of the desk.

When he walked towards her, however, she looked up at him and immediately grew cold, narrowing her eyes at him suspiciously. If anything, her glare was fiercer than the others he had met before. Then he remembered what he looked like. Using the Henge no jutsu, he now appeared taller, and he wore a long, dark cloak over his clothes. The hood came down to shadow his eyes and the cloak reached to his ankles, buttoned closed at the top, and it revealing very little of his body.

"May I help you?" the woman asked, making no effort to hide her hostility.

"I'm looking for the ten ninjas that came here a few days ago," Obito replied, his voice deeper than it usually would be. The woman's uneasiness became tangible. "I come from the Hidden Grass village, and I have been tracking them down ever since they left."

She hesitated a moment before pursing her lips and resumed to glare up at him. "We currently do not have any ninjas staying at this inn. You must be mistaken. Now please, leave this town. Your presence is not welcomed here," she said.

"I will get to them by force, if I must," Obito said softly, his voice growing colder and more dangerous as he continued. "Please do not make me resort to it. I have watched them since they arrived here, and I am aware of the fact that they have taken the children as hostages. I will take care of things. You only need to tell me where they are staying. Please answer me, ma'am, where are they?"

The woman was now visibly trembling, her eyes bordering between fear and anger, though they slowly tipped towards the former. She lowered her eyes and without looking, she pointed to the stairs. "At the very top," she whispered hoarsely. "They have the whole attic."

"Thank you," Obito said, nodding his head. He turned and started up the stairs, concentrating on concealing his whole presence, including the henge. He stopped at the last step and searched for the presences beyond the wall and door. He found them quickly. The ten shinobi and he counted at least seven others, which he assumed were the children.

He stepped up to the door and knocked three times with his knuckles, then took two steps back, his finger already looped in the hole of a kunai under the cloak.

"What is it?" said a gruff voice, muffled by the door.

"I have something to talk to you about," Obito replied.

There was a pause, then the door slowly opened to reveal a tall man, a kunai lifted in his hand. Obito found himself under yet another pair of wary, narrow eyes. "Who are you?" the man demanded.

"My name is irrelevant. I come with orders to bring you back to the village."

"Oh, you're from the village." The man lowered the kunai, although Obito did not give any response to the previous comment. "Well, that makes things easier. We – "

A sudden, shrill scream cut off the rest of the sentence and the man hastily turned around and bent down to catch a little girl who was crying and wailing. Behind her came a younger man, a troubled look on his face.

"Aya-chan! I told you not to come here!" the younger man said, distressed and flustered.

"But Hideki took the teddy bear and he won't give it back!" the girl wailed.

"There are other toys in there as well though," the first man reasoned, his voice suddenly rising half an octave higher. "Go make friends with Mr. Giraffe or Mrs. Hippo. They told me there were lonely."

"I want the teddy bear!"

"Shh, not so loud!" the second man insisted, pulling her back from the door, which caused her to cry even louder. Soon three other children ran up, being chased by four other adults The man who had opened the door grabbed his head and simply pulled Obito into the room and slammed the door shut. Suddenly the narrow area by the entrance was full of demands, noise and action.

"Touya! Hurry and come back! We need you for the game!"

"Who's Mr. cloaked?"

"Jun-kun wait, come back! You're going to fall – " _Bang!_ "See! Now stay still while I get that string off you."

"Ren let's go back!"

"Piggy back! Piggy back!"

"I'm hungry!"

"Can we have ice cream?"

"I want my teddy bear!"

"Hideki, give her the bear. Look, you can have the frog."

"No!"

"Touya!"

"Ren!"

"Teddy bear!"

"Ice cream!"

"Piggy back!"

"Let's go! The game!"

"Jun-kun, it's not off yet! Come back!"

Obito blinked under the hood and watched the chaos. On close observation, the adults were all clearly shinobi, based on the way they moved and their clothing. But if one thing was clear as crystal, it was that these people had no idea how to deal with little children. Still, this confirmed one thing at the least. These shinobi had no intentions of hurting their 'hostages'. Finally the children were herded away, and the original man sighed, wiping his forehead with a hand. He turned back around to face Obito and grinned slightly.

"Sorry about that," he said. "They can be such angels at times, but they're also capable of being the most difficult things to handle. Anyways, I suppose whoever's in charge sent you here to get us back, but – "

"No."

"What?" he asked with a small frown.

"I'm not from the Hidden Grass Village," Obito said. The man was immediately on guard, a kunai ready and poised in an eyes blink.

"Who are you?" he asked yet again, the coldness coming back into his voice.

"A shinobi, from Konoha," Obito replied calmly.

"Konoha?" the man repeated, then sneered, "An assassination mission, I suppose? Those useless fools." He bent his knees and was ready to lunge at Obito when two thin arms suddenly locked around his neck and pulled, making him stumble a few paces backwards.

"It's rude to point a weapon at a guest, Touya!" a small voice shouted, and a moment later, a girl's head bobbed up behind the man's shoulder. Her wide brown eyes were full of life and laughter, slightly obscured by strands of similarly coloured hair. She looked slightly older than the earlier children, perhaps around six or seven. She grinned broadly at Obito.

"I'm Asami!" she said cheerfully. "Nice to meet you!"

"Asami-chan, I told you not to come!" Touya growled, trying to pry her hands away from his neck.

The girl scowled. "Well I'm glad I did! Papa always says that it's rude to suddenly threaten a guest. Weren't you ever taught manners?"

"Asami-chan," Obito said gently. "Could I have a moment alone with Touya-san please?"

"Sure!" she replied, giving an affectionate hug to Touya before jumping off and trotting down the corridor and disappearing around a corner.

"Since you know my name now, let's have yours," Touya said.

"Obito," he replied.

Touya narrowed his eyes again. "You're using the Henge." It sounded more like an accusation rather than a simple statement. Obito was slightly surprised that it had been figured out. It wasn't something that emanated a lot of chakra after all. _He's skilled_, he thought, before letting go of the jutsu, which faded with a small puff of smoke.

Obito found himself titling his head back a little now to meet the man's look of surprise. A small grin flickered on his face as he shrugged off the cloak that was too long, and started to fold it.

"Is it a ninja's method to come strolling into an enemy's territory so boldly and openly like this?" Touya asked, recovering from his slight shock at finding out it was just a kid.

"Probably not, but how else could I have done this without endangering the children?" Obito asked in turn. When Touya didn't respond for a moment, Obito continued. "Because you never intended to harm them. Perhaps because this whole 'abandoning the village' is an act of some kind?"

Touya was clearly taken aback. Obito allowed another small grin. _Right on, Kazuma-sensei_.

(Flashback)

"They haven't killed any of the shinobi who came after them?" Obito repeated with a frown.

Kazuma nodded. "They are all currently in hiding, unscathed. Which means that these 'missing nins' have a reason for escaping the village."

"Where did you find that information?" Kakashi asked.

"We did," came a little voice from behind their teacher, and a small frog hopped into view. "Hi there."

"Your Kuchiyose frogs," Obito muttered.

"Yes. I had a strange feeling about this whole mission from the start, so I sent them out before we left the village to gather some information." The yellow frog swelled with pride.

"And their reason?" Kakashi asked.

"I don't know the reason, but we know that they're getting along with the children quite well," Kazuma replied.

"Baby Gamakichi is pretending to be a stuffed animal with them," the frog said. "I just hope he doesn't mess things up, or get messed up. Oyabun (1) would kill me if something happened to him…"

"Then why put up the act of causing trouble?" Obito asked.

"My guess is that they're trying to achieve something," Kazuma said. "Why else would the top ten ninjas, the original pillars of the Hidden Grass Village all escape together?" Just then, there was a small _pop_ and another small, green and orange frog was perched on Kazuma's shoulder.

"That baby is _not_ fit to carry out missions like this," it sighed, slumping limply over the shoulder. "I broke out into cold sweat for a few moments back then. A small girl tripped and fell on him, and of course, letting the pain get the better of him, half a scream came out before he shut himself up. Luckily, although not for the girl, she cut herself when she fell and started crying, so that took the attention of the shinobi. But the interesting thing is, Kazuma, they seemed really intent on trying to comfort her quickly and were really concerned about her, even though it was only a little scratch. They looked honestly relieved and happy when she said that she felt better after a while."

"So it seems that this might get more complicated as we go," Kazuma mused.

"Or rather," Obito muttered, leaning forward to bring his face closer to the frog, "Are frogs capable of sweating?"

"Don't underestimate us amphibians!"  
Obito parted with his team with a pink frog foot print on his left cheek.

(End Flashback)

A shinobi came round the corner, calling over his shoulder at someone else before he noticed something wrong and turned his attention to the two at the entrance. Obito spared him a glance, although his eyes hardly shifted from their trained gaze on Touya. A frown quickly settled on the other shinobi's face and he lost his air of casual playfulness.

"Touya?" he muttered, clearly waiting for instructions.

The man didn't break his eye contact with Obito. "The children are not to be harmed," he said. "Put them in a safe place. I guess it's time to leave this town. Hurry Ren."

The shinobi, apparently called Ren nodded once, then backed away slowly, his eyes never leaving Obito. Then he disappeared, his footfalls hardly audible as he left to do as he was told.

"Like you said, we had no intentions of causing any trouble in this town, and we certainly aren't going to abandon the village that we worked so hard to establish," Touya continued, then his voice hardened. "Although we never planned to kill anyone, we can't let you go knowing everything; it's too much of a risk. I'm sorry, we hold nothing against you, but I'm afraid your fate is death, boy."

"Well, think what you will," Obito said, "but let's take this outside and a little away from the people of this town."

"Agreed." At this, they both withdrew several small, black balls and threw them down onto the floor. Everything was instantly swallowed in white smoke, narrowing down the visibility to less than an arm's length. Through this, eleven shinobi moved swiftly, exiting the building through the various windows, which allowed the smoke to pour out into the open. All eleven figures broke free from the cloud and were joined by two others.

The people in the streets stopped and jerked their heads up to watch the shinobi leap across the rooftops at a speed that made them look like blurs. A crowd was already forming at the entrance of the _Shepard_, having taken a guess of what might be happening. Jan was amongst the people, pushing his way to the front of the crowd. He squeezed past two adults, almost stumbling when he finally got through, and was about to sprint up the steps when a small group came through the main door. His eyes widened.

Obito stood behind the slightly confused children, a small lopsided grin appearing on his face when he saw Jan. Asami saw him as well and a big smile split her face.

"Onii-chan!" she shouted, bounding down the steps and jumping into his arms.

"Asami!" he called, embracing his sister, and smiled sincerely for the first time. The other children likewise ran to the people they knew, and Obito watched this for a moment. Then he turned and walked back inside, heading down the main corridor to the back door. He came out into a fairly wide alley, then stopped, but didn't turn around.

"You should take care of your sister and bring her home," he said.

"I thought so as well," Jan said, his voice honest. "But I don't know why, I want to go with you."

"The answer was and still is 'no'," Obito replied. He looked over his shoulder and saw Jan frowning. "Besides, I'm not here anymore. This is just a copy of me. Take Asami-chan home, Jan." The boy opened his mouth to retort again, when Obito turned into a puff of light pink smoke. He pressed his lips tightly together, the frown deepening.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

In the forest, a good distance away from the town, Kazuma, Obito and Kakashi stood before the ten Grass ninjas, everyone on a different branch, in a slightly scattered order. Touya stood slightly in front of the rest of his comrades. His eyes left Obito and briefly scanned over Kazuma and Kakashi.

"So there were more of you," he muttered. "It doesn't matter. We have no choice but to kill you."

"Our only choice is the completion of this mission," Kakashi said. Touya nodded slowly. A breeze blew by, carrying a few coloured leaves and causing the thinner branches to sway gently. Just as it was settling down, a second gust lifted another swirl of leaves into the air, heading towards the blue skies. When they floated back down to the forest floor, the shinobi were all gone.

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Oh no…I don't look at the clock for a while and it's suddenly past midnight. Dang it, now I'm going to have to suffer from lack of sleep yet again tomorrow…Oh well, no point finishing the chapter and not uploading it, is there? (grin) And I've come to the conclusion that I'm really daft…It was only when I wrote the chapter that I realised that forty is spelled only with an o and not fourty with a u as well…heh…oops…?

Oyabun: a boss; a chief; a leader (according to my dictionary). In other words, Gamabunta (who will make an appearance, mind you)

**Leilani:** Sorry, that was a big, big typo, as I realised after I read your review…It's fixed now. Uh, I really don't know about Sakumo-san…I may…yes, I probably will fit it in somewhere. Arg, lucky you're nearly finished with school. We still have a few weeks. Anyways, thanks for the review, as always!  
**Wyldcat:** hehe. Sorry, didn't get round to much about Jan, but I won't say anything else at the moment. No, the sharingan event won't be anything like the manga. It's all planned out already. Hell, that was the first event that I started to plan, before I even started with Gamashi Kengou's escort. (smile) Thanks for dropping a review!  
**Alana:** Well, I don't know if they're classified as baddies…Oh well. Thank you for your comments, I enjoyed them a lot. I actually didn't think of the connection between Naruto and Jan, but come to think of it, you might be right. Lol. Obito goes through a lot.  
**HanaTenshiHimeko:** Ah, I have a feeling I'm giving Obito a hard time… (whistles innocently). Thanks for reviewing!  
**Patty**: I read your review and I thought: that's a good question…lol. I guess it's because even if they do, it'll be suspicious for civilians to be poking around the business, especially when the town isn't too big and news gets around quite quickly. And if that happened, they might bring some trouble to the people. (shrugs). Thankies!  
**I know your destiny:** Yeah, it's Rin and Obito. Sorry about that, but thank you for offering your honest thought. It actually got me to move my lazy butt and write up an explanation and add in the AU notice. Hehe.  
**Katzuki:** Yep, Kazuma's trustworthy informants! Glad you liked it, and thanks for offering the review!  
**The essence of popsicles:** lmao! It's a goose! Um…why he's being so understanding…? Hm, a good idea. I'll make sure to put it in during the next chapter or so, or whenever the fight ends. Huh? What's the "show and tell" technique? (hides) I hope we never learned that before…otherwise that makes one person who hasn't been listening in class. Oh! Midori in ANBU! What you have to do is scan that picture into a computer and post a link or send it to my email! I swear! PLEASE! Anyways, thanks as always for your long, useful, not to mention really funny review!  
**Magicians of the Yami:** Probably because he doesn't have to deal with being glared at and treated like a child…? Lol. Thanks for dropping a review!  
**NefariousPhoenix:** Glad you're liking it, and I hope you enjoyed this one too! Thankies!

And, I hope no one had any problems with the sudden pen name change…I had a stamp made in Japan with the kanji characters of "Suzu" (bell) and "Yuki" (snow). There are various ways to read it, and I chose the one I liked most: LinSetsu. So yeah.

Thanks to everyone else who may be reading!  
.LinSetsu. 


	41. Chapter FortyOne

**Chapter Forty-One:**

Kakashi flitted quickly through the trees, pushing off a branch almost as soon as he touched it. He glanced to his left, then to his right, and was slightly surprised to find only two shinobi, one on either side of him. _I think_ _I'm being underestimated_, he thought quietly in the back of his mind, then suddenly frowned. _No,_ I'm _underestimating_ _them._ There were after all, the ten greatest shinobi of the Grass village, and no ninja of such standards should be looked down on, even if the village was still young and new.

He pushed off a branch, and as soon as he glimpsed the subtle shift from the two shinobi, he reached swiftly into the back pouch and produced two kunai. He swung them, not a second late, and they clanged loudly against the side of the two kunai that had been thrown at him, exactly when he was in mid air. The weapons went tumbling down, but he didn't stop his movement. Keeping the momentum of his swing, he crossed his arm and dispatched the kunai at each of the shinobi, just before they would land on the tree.

They were thrown aside. Kakashi planted his feet on the branch, his knees bent, then pushed off, vaulting backwards, higher into the trees. Even as he flipped, he saw the two in quick pursuit. Landing softly on a considerably thinner branch, he shifted his left shoulder back so he could keep one shinobi below him into sight, as well as the one above him. With him the center, both in terms of altitude and position, they created a near perfect, diagonal line. Kakashi spared both of them a quick glance, then kept his eyes in front of him, placing more concentration in his other senses.

It was long before they moved in perfect unison, leaping away from the branches and seemingly disappearing. Kakashi knew better than to try and look for them. He slid his eyes closed, his skin almost prickling as he carefully determined the changes in the breeze. Borne on the wind were their scents. His trained ears picked up the sounds that weren't natural. In the complete darkness on his eyes, he could see their movements, their locations, and so he was prepared when they came at him from above. He waited until the last moment to duck down under a horizontal kick, then pushed away with his hands and feet, feeling the second shinobi's fist brushing the tips of his hair. His eyes snapped open and saw one of them already heading towards him as he remained suspended in the air for a moment. The other was above – no already behind him.

_They're fast_. Kakashi gritted his teeth together in concentration, knowing that they wouldn't let him land to secure a good footing before they engaged. He spun around and used the momentum to counter a high snap kick with his own. Using the contact as a base, he threw himself backwards, arching his back and watching a heel sweep in a clean arc just above his face. The first shinobi didn't pause, and came down quickly with a sharp punch. Kakashi shoved it aside with his right hand, driving his knee up to connect with his opponent's chest. The ninja, however, nimbly used it as a pivot point and flipped over him. Kakashi twisted his body and pulled a forward flip, sending his right heel crashing down on the shinobi who had just flipped over him and shown a second of vulnerability. His hands came up to block the drop kick, but he was still thrown down at a quicker rate than they had been falling before.

Kakashi almost cursed when it took longer and a considerably more amount of strength to push the shinobi down. Without waiting to see the results, he spun around, but found the second ninjas a mere meter away from him, a kunai in his outstretched hand, heading straight for his neck and being impaled.

The shinobi narrowed his eyes as a piece of dried log replaced itself with the boy. He pulled his weapon out and let the wood drop, landing on the ground of the forest soon after. His partner came to join him, both of their eyes fixed on the young shinobi who was perched on a low, sturdy branch.

Kakashi dropped to the ground, landing almost silently and he met their gazes. A trickle of blood ran freely from a thin, shallow cut along his left jaw line. He brushed the back of his right hand against it, and it momentarily wiped away the blood before it began to seep out again. He didn't bother trying a second time. That had been much too close.

"You aren't an average kid, are you?" the second ninja asked with a hint of amusement and curiosity in his voice. Kakashi gave no response, and it drew a grin from the man. "I'm Ren," he offered.

"I guess it would be impolite to keep silent," the first man muttered, then spoke a little clearer. "My name's Rio."

"Kakashi," he replied in turn.

"Say Kakashi-kun, are all children in Konoha this skilled?" Ren asked. Kakashi's only reply was a simple shrug. Ren raised an eyebrow when he waited a moment but still received no further explanation. "Has anyone told you that you're not very talkative?"

"Everyday," Kakashi said dryly.

Ren chuckled. "It's a pity that we met like this," he said. "You're a funny one."

"Ren, it's not a time to play around," Rio said sternly, giving his companion a disapproving glance.

"Alright, alright," Ren said, patting his hands in the air in front of his face to show his surrender. He then looked back at Kakashi, a small smile still on his face, but his eyes had turned serious. "I'm afraid, Kakashi-kun, the talking has to end." Now the smile too, faded. "And I am sorry that our orders are explicitly to kill you."

"That is the shinobi's world," Kakashi said quietly. "Even though the war is over, there is still rivalry between the Countries and the Hidden Villages. The fact still stands that the orders will not stop coming that contain requests of assassination, and orders to kill when necessary. That is our world."

"Such wisdom from a boy," Ren was wistfully.

"Enough," Rio snapped. This time, Ren said nothing, and a moment of silence passed. Then all three of them moved at once.

The grass suddenly bellowed around Kakashi, jerking into action by a non existing gust of wind. He could feel the chakra gathering around him. He leapt off the ground, deftly flicking his hands through a set of seals and expanding his chest. _Katon Goukakyuu no jutsu_. The concentrated stream of fire shot down towards the grass that was now rapidly rising after him. The fire burned the plants, and only smoke remained, hovering in the air. Kakashi fell through this and landed on a low branch. Ren stood on a nearby tree and whistled a low note.

"You can use a fire technique that comes from your mouth with a mask on?" he asked.

Kakashi shrugged. "It's chakra after all," he replied. "It is the user that determines where the chakra turns into fire."

Ren merely smirked and disappeared, Kakashi following quickly after.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Obito leapt above a line of kunai, then landed softly on the thick branch, on all fours. Immediately afterwards, he threw his weight to his left and allowed himself to drop a little, clinging onto the bark with his chakra and heard a number of weapons striking into the wood above him.

Quickly, he leapt down when a volley of needles flew toward him. As he fell down, a chained sickle whizzed towards him. He withdrew a kunai and flung it against the sharp blade, sending it a little off its course, which was all he needed. He reached out to grab the chain and yanked on it. When he felt a resistance, he threw the blade around a thick branch and secured it. Then pushing off the tree, he leapt back up, being led by the tightly pulled chain.

He was nearing the top when the chain suddenly went slack and he tensed as he felt a sudden presence behind him. Cursing his carelessness, he spun around just in time to duck under a sweeping sword, but a swift kick to his torso sent him flying into a tree trunk with a grunt. Without waiting even a moment, leapt down onto a lower branch, the sword striking the trunk where he had stood.

Obito didn't have to glance up to know that the second shinobi was coming down on him quickly. He vaulted backwards, a downward punch skimming his clothes. He landed on his hands a few meters below, and pushed off immediately, avoiding a sweeping kick to his face. He produced two kunai, holding one in each hand, and was ready when the two of them came on him with identical swords. Despite the length, the katana were quick and manoeuvred in perfect unison. Obito found himself pushed as they fought for the few seconds that they fell down, slashing and parrying.

He ground his teeth sharply together when a strong blow twisted the kunai out of his right hand. He raised his other high to the left to block a vertical cut, and only then did he realise his mistake. The swing never came from above. The shinobi flicked his wrists ninety degrees and swiped horizontally, while his comrade came down with a diagonal slash.

Obito didn't think twice when he felt a thin branch brush against his free hand. He grabbed it and pulled, tucking his legs in as quickly as he could. Although the rate at which he yanked himself up wasn't all too quick, their descending speed had been quick enough for their attacks to easily slip past him.

Still, as he perched on the branch, breathing relatively quicker than normal, he clasped his hand over a bleeding wound on his lower leg. "Not good; too close," he muttered to himself, then frowned. "What was the point in engaging them in such close combat when they have swords for crying out loud?" He shook his head. He straightened and listened. With a warning no more than a whisper, Obito deftly created a few hand seals and took a deep breath. _Katon Housenka no jutsu_.

Balls of flame flew one by one from Obito's mouth as he slowly rotated his body, the fire spreading out in an arc around him. Out of the flames and smoke came the two shinobi, surrounded what looked like blades of grass controlled by swirls of wind. But behind him, close to the ground, came a fit of coughs. Obito's glanced over his shoulder, not recognising the voice or presence as either Kazuma or Kakashi. When he saw who it was, he turned around completely, his eyes widening. Amidst the smoke that had blown across the ground and leaning against a tree for support was Jan.

He could feel the shinobi and their attacks getting closer, but it was obvious they hadn't seen the boy below. Without further hesitation, Obito leapt down using bouts of chakra to increase his speed. Just as he reached Jan, the blasts of grass wind caught up. With a little concentration and chakra control in his body, Obito activated his Sharingan and spun around in front of Jan. His hands flew together and another gust of wind tore through the trees to intercept the blades of grass. The two forces collided with a wild explosion, splintering the trees and ruthlessly stripping the branches of its last leaves. The mixture of wood, leaves, grass and dirt flew in all directions, momentarily blocking out any possibility of sight.

Through this, Obito grabbed Jan and took them both up the trees. When they were out of harms way, Obito put him down on a large, steady branch and he allowed himself to breath again. Jan, too stunned to find his voice merely gaped at the older boy. Until Obito turned to face him.

"I thought I told you to go home," he said.

"I did," Jan replied, turning his eyes away. "Then I came here when the people told me the rough direction in which you had gone. Besides, what right do you have to order me around!"

Obito slapped a hand to his face and shook his head. "Whatever, this isn't a place to be arguing," he mumbled, pulling out two kunai. He struck them both deep into the trunk and beckoned Jan over. "Hold onto them and stay here until everything finishes. I don't care if you don't think I have the right to tell you to do something. If you don't listen, then you're going to end up falling down to the very bottom and most likely breaking your neck before you even land. Understand? Sit still here, and stay here until I come and get you when everything is finished."

Jan glared at him, but did as he was told. Obito took one last glance at him before turning his attention back to the battle. The debris below was settling and he could at least see down to the ground. There was no sign of the ninjas. Even with the Sharingan, he couldn't see anything. Jan's voice a moment later broke his concentration.

"What's up with those creepy eyes anyways?" he asked.

"It's a bloodline trait," Obito muttered distractedly.

"Oh…What's a bloodline trait?"

"Something that belongs to certain bloodlines; it runs in clans."

"Neat. What does it do?"

"All sorts of things," Obito replied through clenched teeth. His concentration was being drained by the stupid questions, which, he realised painfully, he couldn't answer with one or two words.

"Like?"

A dangerous vein strained itself on his forehead and he spun around to face the boy holding onto the kunai. "Like hypnotise you if you don't shut up!" he snapped.

"Geez! I was just asking! No need to get so angry!" Jan spat back. Obito clamped his hand over his eyes and groaned. Now he had _no_ idea where the shinobi were, and it was hard enough _with_ his concentration since they were so thorough with hiding their presence.

His sharp ears, however, picked up the whistling of weapons slicing the air. He pivoted on his right foot and using the momentum, threw three shuriken, which collided with the kunai and all of them went tumbling down the trees. Now his anger was ready to burst.

"Can't you see that there's a kid here?" he shouted.

"Who are you to call him a kid when you're one yourself, chipmunk?" came the reply. The vein reappeared on Obito's temple, just twice as big. He bit down on the string of curses that came to his lips. Jan smothered a snort, rather unsuccessfully at the side. Obito threw an annoyed glare his way.

"Hey, if _I'm_ a chipmunk, then what does that make _you_?" he said. "A hamster?" The smirk was wiped clean off Jan face and he growled.

"Well, I suppose you aren't any normal chipmunk, are you?" the voice said again, and the shinobi appeared on a branch close by. The second dropped down beside him. "Your name?"

"When you ask for a name, you give yours first," Obito said, regaining his composure. "At least, that's the politeness."

"Very well. Kalisu Yuuna," he replied.

"Jinmu Rei," the second said.

"Uchiha Obito."

Yuuna narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "Uchiha," he muttered. "The famous Konoha clan." Obito nodded once.

"I see," said Rei. "So that's the rumoured Sharingan."

Again, Obito nodded. "In any case, I would be grateful if we stayed away from Jan here," he requested.

"Agreed. Once everything is finished, we'll come collect him and bring him back to the town," Yuuna said.

"That's my role," Obito replied with a small smile.

"Sorry, that won't be happening, chipmunk," Rei said.

Obito simply shrugged. "We'll see."

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Within the first minute since the battle commenced, Kazuma had already knocked out three of the shinobi who had come after him. Now he stood in the middle of a triangle, on which every angle was marked by a Grass ninja. The formation lasted hardly a few seconds before Kazuma was in the middle of a crossfire of shuriken. He leapt over it with ease, and turned around to face another volley of weapons coming at him. In an eyes blink, he disappeared, the kunai and shuriken being hurled into nearby trees.

He appeared less than a second later just below another shinobi, and before he could react, Kazuma's knee was embedded deep into his stomach. With a sharp cough, the ninja crashed against the trunk. He stumbled forward, his hands already flying through a set of seals. But before the technique could be produced, Kazuma knocked him out with a well aimed blow to the back of the neck.

Hearing a set of weapons coming down at him, Kazuma pushed the unconscious shinobi further toward the tree trunk before evading the volley and leaping up the trees. He was then faced with a whirlwind of grass blown through the branches, and he mildly wondered what type of technique it was. He certainly could feel chakra in the wind and grass, but it was a jutsu that he had yet to encounter. Then again, he had rarely engaged in a battle with the newly established Hidden Grass Village and their traditional techniques.

He leapt away from the line of harm, but watched it carefully from the corner of his eyes. The grass blades were effective enough to cut deep gashes into the trees.

With a shinobi somewhere on either side of him, the technique came at him again, from both sides. Their ranges were wider now, spreading both horizontally and vertically. His hands came together, and he spun while still in midair. _Ninpo Gyakukaze Fubuki_. While creating a layer of wind with his spin, a second sheet ran outside of it, turning in the opposite direction. The friction caused it to expand and grow close to exploding. It raged against the grass wind, and overpowered it. In the center of it, Kazuma had closed his eyes, his body still spinning. This was the only wind technique that Midori could not yet grasp and use. After discovering her talent with the element, it had been him, after all, who had taught her the various jutsus.

As the wind began to die down, Kazuma opened his eyes and allowed the technique to die down before dropping a little until he reached a branch. He watched as the leader of the Grass lowered his comrade onto a branch. Touya checked his pulse, and was relieved to find it still there, strong and unharmed. The blood that trickled down from his head indicated that he had suffered some sort of concussion. Once he was secured, Touya stood up and tilted his head back a little to face the blond haired shinobi, who didn't seem to have even broken sweat. His eyes narrowed, and he leapt up a few tree limbs to become level.

"So it is indeed Konoha's Yellow Flash," he said. "Who is also the current Hokage, Yukisaka Kazuma. Am I correct?"

Kazuma nodded once. Touya grinned for a moment, closing his eyes.

"No wonder," he muttered, then locked gazes with Kazuma again. "My name is Kudou Touya. Although I am not of the Kage level, I am still the leader of the Hidden Grass Village. I cannot risk the failure of this mission."

"So you have something to accomplish," Kazuma said. "If you would tell us, then that was would prevent further conflict. We are not here to kill you."

Touya shook his head. "I'm afraid I can't tell you that. You know too much already."

"The fight is meaningless," Kazuma insisted. "There are other ways of solving this."

Once again, Touya gave a shake of his head. "This is the only way."

Kazuma lowered his eyes, saying nothing more. Touya lifted his thumb to his mouth and bit through the skin to draw blood. His hands flew through a certain set of seals and then he slammed the bloodied hand onto the branch. _Kuchiyose no jutsu_.

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Uh…I'm really sorry for the delay. At first I was caught up in a different story, an original of mine, and that pushed the muse back for Nakama…Then there was the Final Exams, and I had to study a little. I think I still failed at least three of them…So I was happy I finished the exams, and then I get another problem right in face: I can't think up of the Kazuma fight sequence. It finally came to me yesterday, but my brother came from university and he insisted on watching the Naruto episodes that he missed…(groan)

Oh and, I hope my writing hasn't rusted…I saw from the reviews that you were looking forward to the fighting. I hope I met your expectations.

Translations:

Gyakukaze Fubuki: (winces) opposite wind blizzard. I hate it when I need to translate it into English. Anyways, you get the idea (I hope…well, I hope I explained it clearly enough…)

**HanaTenshiHimeko:** I actually don't think frogs can sweat…I feel sorry for Obito too. Arg. Baby Gamakichi…I need to get him in somewhere…Thanks for reviewing!  
**NefariousPhoenix:** Yup, that's coming up soon! Thankies!  
**Wyldcat:** I quite liked Fanyar too, but yeah…LinSetsu kind of sounds neat. I'm simple minded, I know. Uhuh, lots of fighting. I hope you liked it, and thanks for the review!  
**The Essence of Popsicles:** hehe. Thanksies! Well, no one dead yet. Optimism. Wow your imagination goes…uh…far…lol. Midori…No, I think all members of the ANBU receive the tattoo. And personally, I quite like sketchy pictures, so please upload the original too! (grins)  
**Patty:** Well, I guess not all missions contain baddies. I found it quite funny too while I wrote it. (smile) Thanks for the review and compliment for the name!  
**Alana:** I hope you liked the combat scenes. Yeah, they should be around…14 now, I think, or that's how is should be. Not sure if all the calculations add up though. I sure hope they do. (sweat drop) Thanks for reviewing!  
**Leilani:** Thank you! (hugs) I think it's actually men that have problems with such little children. Lol. I'm really forgetful too, don't worry about it! Sorry for the wait, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well!  
**Magicians of the Yami**: Thanks for the review! Come the answers will. Hehe. I've been reading too much Star Wars…(hides) Sorry to keep you waiting.  
**Katzuki:** I'm not too good with kids either…I never do well with babysitting. 'I said go to sleep! Sleep! No, no buts! Sleeeep!' Ah, I don't have the patience for children. They're really sweet though. And so innocent! Anyways, thanks for reviewing!  
**Littleadryan:** Thank you for the compliments! They really make me happy when I read them, and know that you're enjoying the story. I have summer holidays now for about two months, so I hope to get going with the future chapters.  
**imnotfat:** Thank you!

.LinSetsu.


	42. Chapter FourtyTwo

**Chapter Forty-Two:**

Kazuma's calm expression hardly changed as the smoke began to clear away, leaving an oversized grasshopper in its wake. Although it couldn't be compared to the size of Gamabunta, it was still at least five times bigger than an average man. Ordinary grasshoppers are herbivores, mostly feeding on plants and some only on grass. However, Kazuma was quick to notice that this was no ordinary grasshopper. It had two sharp blade legs at the front, and its abnormally pointed teeth would have no one believing it was a vegetarian.

The insect slowly moved its large head to gaze down at Touya with the compound eye containing many small lenses. The other four were directed towards Kazuma. "You're anxious," it said in a thin, but deep voice. "Is the kid such a trouble that you have to call me out?"

"Watch your language, Slicer," Touya responded, his eyes never leaving his opponent. "He is the Fourth Hokage, also known as Konoha's Yellow Flash."

Now all five eyes were trained on Kazuma. "Fourth Hokage," it repeated slowly, as if testing the words. "Excuse my language. Konoha…So that means the Frog generations. Interesting."

"Let us end the talking here," Touya said more clearly, addressing both the grasshopper named Slicer and Kazuma. "We do not have much time."

Kazuma nodded once. The giant grasshopper raised its scythe and brought it down in one, quick, smooth motion. With hardly any resistance, the blade sliced through several branches, including the one where Kazuma had stood. The Hokage landed on another tree, then leapt away again, when the second blade cut through the bottom of it. The ancient plant creaked as it slowly tipped to the side, it's long limbs hitting over branches and causing some to splinter and join the downfall. After what seemed like a long while, the tree crashed onto the ground with a loud bang, its force almost as great as the grass winds Touya had created a few moments earlier.

Kazuma and Touya remained still while the tree fell, watching it, but their eyes were locked together on each other. The moment it fell, Slicer once again shifted and sprang forward, swift and lithe despite his size. Touya leapt up onto his head, his hands already partway through a set of seals.

Kazuma turned his head a little to glance over his shoulder while leaping through the trees and managed to glimpse an army of smaller grasshopper, though they were still three or four times larger than the natural insects. They were quicker than the main body and caught up to him in the matter of seconds. He threw a kunai at the one that reached him first, but it was easily tossed away with the small scythe. Finding a secure footing, he pushed off, avoiding a second slice that had been formed from the whole group of grasshoppers. Without the need to look around, Kazuma subtly shifted his body to avoid two consecutive swipes from Slicer's blades.

He landed on a high branch, and the smaller grasshoppers immediately surrounded him. He leapt away again, withdrawing two kunai and placing them in each of his hands. For a second he stuck to a tree trunk with chakra, then pushed off, heading straight into the swarm of miniature scythes. Acting in a blur of movement, he slashed, thrust, swiped, parried and struck at the enlarged insects. He didn't move a millimetre more than he needed to and didn't use any more strength than he required. Touya watched in admiring amazement.

Within a limited amount of seconds, Kazuma had already thinned the vast number of grasshoppers. He shifted his head to the left to allow a scythe to pass a few centimetres from his right cheek, and he spun, bringing his left kunai cleanly through the insect. At the same time, he impaled another with his right kunai and shoved the heel of his foot against yet another, smashing it between him and a branch. Feeling a burst of chakra from his left, he leapt away from the insects only to find splinters of wood streaming after him. A large blur of green bounded beside him and he soon found himself faced with Slicer and the gust of grass blades. With the combined strength of Slicer and Touya, the whirlwind was even greater than before and it covered almost a range of 180 degrees. Casting a quick glance over his shoulder, he found the pieces of wood closer than when he had last took notice. The decreased numbers of smaller grasshoppers were also making their way towards him from the left.

Kazuma dropped the two kunai he had been holding and a second later, all the forces collided, creating a tree-rendering explosion.

Touya shielded his face with his arms against the sheer force of the eruption. It took over a minute for the dust and debris to settle down. He squinted his eyes to see down to the bottom of the forest floor but found no sign of his foe. He frowned.

"Could he have escaped from such a tight situation?" he muttered softly to himself.

"Looks like it," came Slicer's reply. Then he made a sound that could be taken as surprised. "He made it all the way over there." With his sharp and numerous eyes he could clearly make out Kazuma a good hundred metres away from where the battle had begun.

Kazuma straightened from his crouch and slipped a kunai back into the holster. It was the one he had thrown at the small grasshoppers at the beginning. He brought his hands together narrowed his eyes a little. _Jikuukan Ninjutsu_.

"He disappeared," said Slicer sharply, all of his eyes roaming the area.

"In front!" Touya shouted, seeing Kazuma reappear from beneath the rubble, his hands full of kunai. He leapt up from the ground and threw the weapons.

"Don't underestimate me!" Slicer cried, raising both of his blades and bringing them down on the kunai.

"No!" Touya shouted even as Kazuma disappeared. In an eyes blink, he had appeared to the left and half a second later, he was again to the right. Then at the ground, in the tree, up above, down below, appearing and disappearing quicker than any eye could follow. The only thing that kept him even slightly visible was his blonde hair. In that moment, Touya understood the reason as to why he was called the Yellow Flash.

Kazuma used the one remaining kunai that was still headed towards the giant insect. As he reappeared and flew at Slicer's body, he gathered chakra in his right hand, and it swirled wildly, but he kept it contained in one clean, blue sphere. Rasengan. He thrust the tightly packed whirling chakra into Slicer. The insect gave a shrieking scream as the attack penetrated deeply into the body, sending him half skidding, half spinning across the forest.

"Slicer!" Touya cried from the branch he had landed on. The grasshopper disappeared in a large puff of smoke. Touya gritted his teeth and snapped his attention back to the fight. He caught Kazuma disappearing again and simultaneously, he yanked a kunai out of the wood and threw it away, as he knew now that the kunai was the resource Kazuma had been using. But he stiffened and his eyes grew wide. He had acted quickly to discard the kunai, yet the presence behind him definitely belonged to Kazuma. He spun around, and found the blue ball of chakra already at his chest. He didn't have a chance to even secure his footing. The force sent him directly into the trunk of the tree and he coughed out the blood that he suddenly tasted in his mouth. The pain didn't last long as his senses went numb to the intensity of the attack.

"Chikushou…" he breathed before he slumped forward.

Kazuma caught the unconscious ninja and settled him against the slightly battered trunk. He looked down at the bleeding chest wound. He had hoped to end the fight without harming him so much, but that hadn't seemed possible. Although he had reduced the power of the Rasengan to ensure that he lived, if he had reduced it any further, Touya would have stood up again.

"I'm sorry," he muttered.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Kakashi leapt away from yet another volley of grass and wood splinters. Although it was fairly easy to dodge them, as they didn't have the control to follow him, the sheer number of these attacks was amazing. He had little to no chance of getting closer than fifty metres to Ren and Rio. He landed on a branch and pressed himself against the trunk, creating a momentary wall between himself and the attacks.

He peered around the bark, then immediately jerked back, several grass blades etching deep cuts into the tree. He bit his lower lip and narrowed his eyes. He had tried virtually everything to get beyond their attacks, but none of them seemed to work. Kunai and shurikens would simply be knocked down and replicas would all be beaten. The fire techniques would have worked, if second and third volleys hadn't have come in from the sides where he was vulnerable during the attack. Wind didn't seem to affect the splinters at all. There was only one other thing he could think of.

His hands began to slowly form a set of seals. Before finishing the last seal however, he hesitated.

(Flashback)

"Kakashi, you shouldn't use that jutsu anymore," Kazuma said. He stood before his two students in the half melting snow, on their first training after the Jounin Exams.

"You mean Chidori?" Obito asked with a slight frown. Kazuma nodded. "But why?" Kakashi said nothing, waiting for the reasoning, although he already had a vague idea of what it would be.

"It's an incomplete technique," Kazuma said. "From what I saw, it's an all focused thrust. It certainly has great speed and destructive power, but you end up moving too quickly to realise and avoid your opponent's counter attack. It just so happened that Yuki was moving to quickly to counter it. It won't be like that in the future against other foes."

Kakashi lowered his eyes a little and nodded. "I understand. But is there a way to overcome that weakness?"

"Not unless you find a way of heighten your kinetic vision above human standards," Kazuma replied sternly.

(End Flashback)

Despite his teacher's words, Kakashi had still trained the Chidori whenever he had free days. He had avoided using it in any battle, even when he sparred with Obito. His hands froze and he dropped them to his side. Chidori was still an incomplete technique that drained him of a lot of chakra.Instead, his hands came back to form a different seal. If it were to work, he would only have one chance at it. It was worth the risk. Besides, he had no other choice. Kakashi narrowed his eyes and concentrated. _Kage Bunshin no jutsu_.

The twenty odd replicas leapt away from the cover of the trunk and spread out into a large arc. After a few seconds, the grass and splinters started to fly towards them. Almost as one, the kage bunshins executed the Goukakyuu and although all the fire was not aimed at the front, roughly a third of the replicas vanished in smoke as they were hit by multiple splinters coming from above and to the side. Nonetheless, Kakashi kept going, increasing his speed with every step.

"He's still coming," Ren muttered.

"The results will not change," Rio said.

Ren opened his mouth to agree, when he suddenly frowned. "What's that noise?" he asked.

"…Birds?" Rio murmured.

Just then Kakashi came into view. He was alone, and was much faster than any other attempts he had previously made. In his right hand that was held out in front of him, flickered bolts of blue chakra and the noise grew ever louder. Ren and Rio both narrowed down their aims to the boy, but he seemed to easily dodge them by shifting slightly to the left or right. The two grass shinobi immediately changed their strategy and spread out their attack to the sides, creating a wall of grass blades and wood splinters. They were surprised to see that the visible bundle of chakra tore a path through their attacks.

Ren's hands flew through a set of different seals and the falling leaves came under his control. They were plucked off the branches and plunged down at Kakashi. They hit their mark and the young ninja exploded into a cloud of smoke. Shocked, Rio and Ren stood motionless for a second. Then Rio snapped his head up.

"Above!" he shouted, and sure enough, Kakashi was descending down on them with the Chidori in his hand. Without further hesitation, Ren sprang up to meet Kakashi, a kunai in his hand. It wasn't until he was virtually an arms length away from the boy did he realise his mistake. Ren's kunai slipped through him, and when he found resistance, it disappeared into smoke. His eyes widened. _A bunshin in front of a kage bunshin. Then…_

"Rio!"

Through the fading smoke of the second last replica just meters away from Rio, Kakashi flew forward, the Chidori bristling in his outstretched right hand. The real technique, compared to the images his bunshins had created, emitted an ever fiercer noise of shrieking birds. Rio attempted to jerk backward out of harm's way, but Kakashi was quicker. The Chidori grazed lightly against Rio's chest, before Kakashi's speed and momentum caused him to keep going. He allowed the chakra to fade and he landed on a branch, twisting his body so that his back wouldn't be turned to his opponents. He reached out with his left hand to help him skid to a stop.

His heart raced wildly in his chest as he looked up to see what had happened. Ren landed beside his friend and steadied him when he fell to his knees and nearly lost his balance. Rio was clutching a wide wound that ran the length of his torso.

"Rio! Hey, Rio!" Ren called. But without replying, Rio lost consciousness and his body went limp. Ren swore softly under his breath and glanced at Kakashi. "That technique," he mumbled, quickly heaving Rio to the tree trunk and propping him up. As far as he could see, the wound wasn't too deep and it wouldn't be life threatening if it was left a few more minutes. He straightened and turned back to face the teenage boy. _To have bunshins appear to be holding that technique be in front of regular kage bunshins so that we wouldn't immediately realise the trap. Then sending a bait from above using the same trick while you waited behind the last exploded kage bunshin._ Ren couldn't help but grin a little. _How smart of you and how stupid of us not to notice._

Kakashi remained in his crouch. Although his mind went completely against it, his body moved on its own, creating the same seals again. The muscles along his whole right arm tensed and he held his wrist with his left hand. Then he leapt forward again.

"That technique won't work twice," Ren muttered, vaulting back onto a higher branch, creating some distance between himself and Rio. His eyes narrowed as he closely followed Kakashi's movement.

Kakashi extended his hand slightly to the right as he flew forward, then at the last second, thrust it forward towards Ren's shoulder. He cursed himself inwardly when Ren suddenly jerked to the side and down, bringing a kunai in his left hand. Ducking under the Chidori, he swiped the blade against the boy's left abdomen. Still, it was Kakashi who knew his own greatest weakness with the jutsu. His unconscious anticipation of such an action had led him to restrain the damage level at the minimum by swerving even a little to the side. Loosing the smooth speed, Kakashi stumbled and lost his footing, yet somehow managed to stay on the trees. Before he got too far from Ren, however, he withdrew a few shuriken and threw them back at the Grass ninja.

With a grunt he came to a stop when he hit a large trunk and he attempted to regain his breath. Gingerly, he fingered his wound and was relieved to find it wasn't too deep. His head spun and the edges of his eyesight were a little blurred. He heaved himself onto his feet, his right hand still covering the thin injury, and he looked up to see Ren land a few trees away. His right sleeve was ripped near the shoulder and he was bleeding from a narrow cut along his jaw, which told Kakashi that he had still succeeded with the shuriken.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Obito was reluctant to move too far from where Jan was clinging to the tree. He knew that his opponents had no intention of hurting him, but he didn't know what would happen if he left the boy for too long. He couldn't stay too close either, as he was reminded by a number of shuriken headed for him from behind. He was halfway through his upward jump when he suddenly hooked his foot on a thin branch to stop himself. He reached for a kunai and a shuriken while he spun and he flung the latter at the attack. He used the kunai to deflect the rest that came all too close to his torso. He risked a glance over his shoulder and saw Jan watching the battle in his vulnerable position. Obito exhaled through his clenched teeth and leapt forward to engage his two foes.

Jan stared with wide eyes at the action playing before him. His main focus was on Obito who he had originally thought as exceptionally weak. Yet here he was, fighting almost equally with the Grass ninjas, who he knew were extremely strong. Was Obito actually strong? He gasped when Obito was literally torn by a gust of fierce blade wind, and his mouth was partway open to scream his name, when there was a puff of smoke and a piece of log replaced the Leaf shinobi. He searched frantically for Obito, and he saw him land a firm blow to one of his opponents and immediately lashed out at the second.

Obito ducked low under Rei's sharp horizontal kick, and swiped his right foot in an arc at his unguarded lower leg. The experienced ninja, however, predicted this and leapt over the swing with ease. He flipped over Obito, rising no higher than necessary and swung his fist at the boy using his gained momentum. Obito continued to pivot around on his left foot, straightening as he went. He caught the fist in his left palm, and with his right, he withdrew a shuriken. The subtle movement did not go unnoticed by Rei and he quickly retreated a few paces. The shuriken however, was thrown to Obito's right, where Yuuna was approaching. His hands came together to swiftly form the necessary seals. _Shuriken Kage Bunshin no jutsu._ The small weapon multiplied, headed right for the area where his Sharingan predicted Yuuna's movements would bring him. His aim was true, and it kept the Grass nin at bay for a few seconds longer.

When his attention returned to Rei, he was faced with a diagonal slash of a katana already so close to him that it would be impossible to avoid. That was, if one had normal human eyes. Obito did not at the moment. Using the Sharingan, the downward motion was displayed in a slow motion and he could clearly see it as well as a way around it. Pivoting on his left foot once the blade came parallel to his left shoulder, he dodged the fatal slash that would have made an impressive gash in his neck. Surprise flickered in Rei's expression, but Obito was not aware of it. His hands were already deftly creating seals. When he was once again positioned in front of his opponent, his hands had settled in the horse seal, barely a second since he had jerked to the side. _Fuyukaze no jutsu_.

Rei instinctively leapt back, but the almost silent wind was quicker than any speed he could muster. He felt the icy gust before he could quite see it, although the quiet whistling was not lost on his trained ears. He shielded his face with his arms and leapt sharply to the left and above, but the wind still found him. He was about to jump still higher when the tingling breeze came with the force of a hurricane and he was thrown back. He gritted his teeth against the freezing wind his arms already starting to feel numb. Glancing down at himself as he was blown passed trees, he was shocked to see his clothes were frosting.

Instantly he moved his stiff hands through a set of seals. _Bara Senpuu no jutsu_. The small whirlwind that began to quickly increase its size flew forth from his hands, large thorns making it almost a solid force. It collided with the ice wind and they battled over dominance for a few moments. Rei's attention was concentrated on overthrowing the offending attack until he felt blinding pain reawaken his numbing skin. His grimaced, his body already being tossed roughly forward, and he glanced over his shoulder. A soft curse rang in his head when he noticed the technique that attacked him from behind was no other than the jutsu of his village. _The Sharingan_, he thought bitterly_. How careless of us to use it openly before those eyes. Is it a Kage Bunshin behind me? I can't escape either of these winds. Fine, I'll admit, I'm in some trouble. Heh, bested by a chipmunk. What an awful joke._

The rose thorns froze over and shattered, leaving Rei defenceless between the two winds. His pained cry was drowned out in the collision, but when Obito felt the resistance fade, he immediately ceased his attacks. Letting the replica disappear, he also dropped the technique he had learned and mastered during the Jounin exam.

Jan watched on in awed amazement. He felt as if he was watching some sort of great action movie. "Wow," he found himself muttering with admiration, feeling some cold air brushing against his face, even with the distance between him and Obito. "He really is strong."

Obito tensed before the stirred debris could settle on the forest floor. Without more than a glance to his right, he leapt up to above a sweeping wind bearing sharp leaves. The moment he pushed off the branch, however, he felt a cold blade tear across his back. His eyes widened and an involuntary cough racked his body, carrying blood into his mouth. Being pushed back down, the leaves grazed against his lower legs and he continued to plummet down, biting down on the pain that was quickly beginning to spread. He glanced up to see Yuuna with his katana that was dripping a little with blood.

Cursing his carelessness yet again, Obito landed rather heavily on a low branch and struggled to calm his burning senses. The wound on his back throbbed painfully, and he plucked out a few chakra sharpened leaves from his legs. He gingerly got to his feet, leaning his hand against the trunk, and was relieved to find that they could still carry his weight. He gritted his teeth against the pain in his back when he flexed a few muscles, but nevertheless, he tried to ignore it for now. Upon looking up, he saw Yuuna in the distance beside Rei's limp body.

Obito knew that Rei wasn't dead, and took a moment to think things over. With one down and one more to go. He highly doubted that the same technique could not be used again. There was no way he could defeat Yuuna in a round of taijutsu alone, and it was always too complicated to use a genjutsu under such circumstances. That left him with one ninjutsu technique that could be used to finish the battle. He frowned hesitantly. He had enough chakra and he could certainly perform the jutsu, but it would leave him powerless if Yuuna managed to escape it. Suddenly he felt a flare of chakra from elsewhere and recognised it as Kakashi's. Obito blinked. Chidori? Kakashi was using Chidori in battle? It took a moment or two for the fact to sink in, but when it did, he grinned. _You would take the risk, wouldn't you?_

He dropped his hand from the tree and leapt up, landing level to Yuuna, who had just finished settling the unconscious Rei in a secure position. He turned around to the face the teenager and there was a hint of wariness in his eyes. Without any exchange of words, they disappeared and clashed, Yuuna wielding his katana and Obito armed with a kunai in each hand. They came together to exchange a blow, then leapt back, pushed off a tree and came back again, striking at each other unsuccessfully. When they next came together, Obito flipped over Yuuna, immediately flicking his left kunai at his retreating back. But it clanged against the katana that Yuuna had brought behind him and fell down harmlessly. Obito waited half a second longer when he touched a tree again, he didn't put as much force in pushing off. He used a Kawarimi when the katana sliced his chest, and he reappeared instantly afterwards behind Yuuna. When the Grass ninja spun around, Obito had already thrown his remaining kunai with all the strength he could build from the momentum. It struck the katana's hilt, sending it flying from its surprised owner's hands.

Before Yuuna could recover, Obito deftly flicked his hands through a set of short seals and expanded his chest. _Katon Karyuu Endan_.

The stream of fire roared toward Yuuna, almost like a wall of flame. Obito didn't stop until he ran out of air and he landed in a crouch on a branch, breathing quickly. He watched the flames intently, even after they disappeared and only smoke was left from the burned trees. He was practically devoid of chakra now after the technique, and he could only hope that it had worked. The Sharingan faded from his eyes and he worked on slowing his panting breath. A shuriken whizzed passed his face and his eyes grew wide. The thin cut on his cheek that seeped blood went unnoticed as Obito stared up at Yuuna, who had appeared out of the smoke a moment after the weapon. He was mostly unscathed save for the lightly burned skin around his left shoulder. Obito cursed.

He staggered to his feet, feeling instantly dazed from the blood loss he had suffered in the short amount of time. A jolt of pain along his back reminded him of the cause, and he reached out to support himself. All the while he was conscious of Yuuna coming down on him, beginning to form a set of seals, his hands moving faster than Obito's normal eyes could follow. He took the time to curse again.

Suddenly Kakashi burst into his field of vision and both Obito and Yuuna were distracted. Ren quickly followed, throwing his arm out as a flurry of grass and splinters flew toward Kakashi. He didn't bother turning around, only unconsciously aware of Obito close by. He gritted his teeth when his wound to his side gave a sharp twinge, and he was barely able plant his feet firmly against the underside of a broad tree limb and propel himself downward. He was finding it increasingly difficult to avoid Ren's attacks with his chakra level, which was already drained after the Chidori, decreasing rapidly.

Obito almost gasped when he realised the direction in which the attack was headed. He jerked upright, biting back a cry as the sudden movement disturbed his wound. "Kakashi!" he screamed. "Stop that wind! Jan's over there!" A look of surprise and alarm flickered in Kakashi's face as he heard the words and he immediately glanced in the direction. Only to find Jan indeed perched in the tree, his face paling as the fatal attack approached him.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

I won't even try to describe my excuses for being so late…I'm sorry everyone…

And review responses will have to wait since I desperately have to go to sleep now…We're going to a place called Crans Montana for a four day consecutive horse jumping competition tomorrow. We'll be back on Tuesday night or Wednesday noon, but then I leave for Japan on Thursday for five days…I'll do my best to write on the 12 hour plane ride! I promise!

And when I get back, I'll edit this chapter and add the translations and review responses.

Good night for now!

.LinSetsu.

PS: Hey come on...It's the longest chapter so far in the story!


	43. Chapter FortyThree

**Chapter Forty Three**

Jan's mind was not with his body. He clambered onto his feet and clutched the tree with white knuckles. Then he stooped down clumsily and grabbed the kunai that were still lodged into the tree. Planting his feet into the trunk, he pulled with all his might.

Obito saw what the boy was up to and began to slowly panic. "Idiot!" he shouted. "Leave them! You're going to – " One kunai came out and Jan lurched backwards, tumbling right off the branch, a second before the raging wind would hit him.

Kakashi cursed, his hands flying through a small number of seals. His wide eyes never left the rapidly decreasing distance between the wind and Jan and he cursed again. _I won't make it!_ he thought desperately, and at the same time, the name of the still incomplete technique ran through his mind. _Shunshin no –_

A blur of yellow flew directly in front of the attack before it tore through the trees. Kazuma landed softly close to his students and the Grass nins, carrying an unconscious Jan in his arm. He was unscathed despite coming so close to the slicing winds. Obito remained frozen for a moment before he allowed himself to believe what he saw. He blew out a sigh and leaned his shoulder against the tree. Kakashi dropped his hands and sank onto one knee. Yuuna and Ren relaxed a little as well.

They all remained silent for a moment, until Kazuma leapt lightly over to Obito and handed him Jan. Ren shifted uneasily and exchanged glances with Yuuna.

"Touya," Ren muttered. "Where is he? He couldn't have lost…"

"He's injured, but not dead," Kazuma replied, turning around to face the two. "No one as been killed, rest assured."

"Ren?" Yuuna murmured uncertainly.

Ren hesitated. "We must not forget our purpose," he said quietly.

"This purpose of yours," Kazuma said in a clear voice. "Can you at least explain it to us? It might make things much easier."

"You have asked us before, and we have already refused," Yuuna responded.

"We ask again, to avoid further conflict," Kazuma said. "It does not pleasure us to fight and maim people. If there is a way other than to shed blood, we will always try to take that way. Please, will you not explain why you are doing this?"

Yuuna opened his mouth to say something, but Ren raised a hand and held it out to stop him.

"Ren…?" Yuuna muttered with a frown. Ren sighed and closed his eyes, lowering his hand and straightening from the battle stance. When he opened his eyes again, he locked gazes with Kazuma.

"We will tell you everything," he said calmly.

"Ren! What – " Yuuna shouted, but with one look from his comrade, he was silenced. He snapped his mouth shut and looked away.

"Yuuna, we don't have a chance against all three of them, especially if he is indeed the Fourth Hokage," Ren said. Then his eyes fell on Kakashi. "And he is surely the son of Konoha's White Fang."

Yuuna nodded, brushing away the possibility of trying to persuade Ren out of his decision. He looked up and nodded his head at Obito. "He's an Uchiha," he added. Surprise flickered in Ren's eyes, and then he almost laughed.

"All famous," he said with a slight grin, which faded soon after. "Well then, let's try to justify our actions."

The two of them came closer to the three Konoha shinobi. Ren sat down while Yuuna remained on his feet. Obito half sat, half leaned against the tree while holding Jan, who was still out cold, and still gripping the one kunai that had come loose. Kakashi was crouched on a branch close by, with Kazuma standing beside him.

"The Hidden Grass Village is, as you know, still very young and in many ways inexperienced," Ren began. "The ten of us were the 'pillars' of the village, and amongst us, we followed Touya. But we didn't have a formal leader. Then around four weeks ago, the Fox Demon came upon the village and everything fell into chaos. Organised procedures went to pieces before the uncertainty and fear that befell the villagers. Around a dozen shinobi died, but luckily, the Fox seemed to have been drawn to something else, and soon left. Touya insisted that things could not remain like this, and we were all in agreement. The people cannot rely solely on us. They must also make decisions and organise things. The only way that they would be able to achieve this is for us to leave the village. This way, they will not only have to take things into their own hands, it will also strengthen and toughen them. We needed to see their reaction and solution to the problem. That's why we 'abandoned' the village." Ren grinned exasperatedly, and added dryly, "Who would have thought that they would run to another village for help."

"What about the shinobi who went after you?" Obito asked. "Are they really in hiding?"

Ren lifted a slightly curious eye brow. "You have gathered a lot of information. Yes indeed, they are all currently hiding, uninjured. They were brave to come after us. But they once again replied on us and trusted us when we explained things. It wasn't the reaction we had been looking for. We were actually hoping for them to act like you have done."

"We need to keep going, for the village's sake," Yuuna said. "We ask that you leave us alone, please."

"Is that really the best for your village?" Kazuma asked softly after a small pause. Ren seemed taken aback by the unexpected question. He blinked a few times, then frowned questioningly.

"I don't think so," Obito said before Ren could respond. "At least, I personally wouldn't like it at all if Kazuma-sensei were to leave the village without any explanation whatsoever."

"This isn't about liking it or not," Yuuna said. "It's about – "

"Strengthening the people?" Kakashi finished. "It will probably only make them scared and even more uncertain."

"There are times when people can grown much stronger in serious or dangerous situations," Kazuma said. "But that should always be a last resort. It is never a pleasant method. There are other ways to strengthen the will of a village, in which more trust and loyalty can also be created, and that is what is important between the people."

"Telling them with words is not enough to get the point across," Ren said.

"Why is it not?" Kazuma asked.

Ren frowned and replied, "They wouldn't understand. They won't be able to."

"You do not believe that they can understand?" Kazuma asked, his voice never rising or hardening from his calm tone.

"They cannot understand because they don't know anything," Yuuna said.

"That is because you don't tell them anything," Kazuma responded.

"Not knowing some things is for their sake," Yuuna insisted. "People can be happier and live easier without knowing."

"But not knowing can lead to insecurity and even mistrust," Kazuma said.

"Then what are you saying should do?" Ren asked more sharply than he meant to. "We cannot let the village crumble!"

"Talk to them," Kazuma replied. "Keep no secrets; be honest. If you speak to them, they will speak with you. If you tell them the truth, they will tell you the truth. If you believe in them, they will believe in you. If you trust them, they will trust you. If you protect them, they will follow you. If you stand strong and secure before them, they will become stronger. There has to be communication and a connection between a leader and the people. You must not mistrust or doubt them."

Ren and Yuuna remained silent for a few moments before the former smirked with slight resignation.

"Is that what you do?" he asked. Kazuma nodded. Ren chuckled and shifted his position so that he could lean back against the tree. He tilted his head back and covered his eyes with his hand. "This is great," he muttered with sarcasm. "Now I'm lost. Touya…" he groaned.

"We'll do as he says."

Ren immediately removed his hand, snapping his eyes open and they grew wide, shocked equally by the presence as well as the condition. "Touya!" The leader stood leaning heavily against a tree trunk a few branches above. He was clutching his bloody chest with his free hand.

"That wound," Ren said, instantly getting to his feet. He was quick to notice how weak Touya was. The leader merely waved his worry away.

"It's nothing," he muttered.

"But what do you mean, we'll do as he says? Why?" Yuuna asked. "It's not just because he defeated you, is it?"

"That has nothing to do with it," Touya replied. "I just have a feeling that what he says is true, and it may work. He _is_ the Hokage afterall, and if rumours are true, a very popular one too. Or do you not afree to what he says?" It wasn't a threat, simply an honest question.

"Well, no, I don't disagree…" Yuuna mumbled, lowering his eyes a little.

"I don't either," Ren said.

"Then that's decided, as long as the others also agree," Touya said. "We still have a lot to learn as well, i guess. One other opinion makes our decision sound almost harsh." He laughed softly, but it abruptly stopped and he coughed sharply.

"Touya!" Ren and Yuuna shouted simultaneously, jumping up to support him. Kazuma landed beside them.

"I think some medical treatment comes first," he said. "I'll go and talk to the people in the town. Can you gather everyone with Kakashi and Obito? There are five a little east of here."

They nodded and Kazuma left quickly to persuade the townspeople.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Jan stirred and opened his eyes. With a groan he closed them again against the blinding lights. Slowly, he began to piece together what had happened. He started with the present. Squinting his eyes, he waited for them to adjust to the brightness. When they did, he recognised the place as the hospital. Why in the world was he in the hospital? He heard the door slide open, but he ignored it. He had tried to save his sister, then he overhead his father talking to…

His eyes snapped wide open and he sat bolt upright.

"Jan!" He turned to see his father walking briskly over to his bed by the window. "Are you – "

"Obito and Kakashi!" Jan blurted, cutting in. He threw the covers off his legs, which he swung to the side of the bed. "Where are they? The ninjas! Are you all right? What happened?"

"Calm down, boy!" his father said, holding Jan down by the shoulder. "Those ninjas left a few hours ago. They – "

"What! They left? How many of them? Were they – "

"Jan!" he all but shouted. "Just listen for a moment. They brought you here, along with a few other injured ninjas. One of them explained everything and they all apologised. I'll tell you about that when you calm down. The doctors treated them, and then they left. They're all fine."

"They…left?" Jan muttered, lowering his eyes. They had left without waking him up…without even saying goodbye or allowing him to thank them? Suddenly a kunai hung in front of his face and blinked at it for a few seconds. Then he raised his eyes to his father who held it.

"The kid with the strange goggles left a message for you: I'll give you the kunai, seeing as you won't let go it. Also, go practice your tree climbing skills, you little hamster."

Jan was too surprised that he forgot to even bristle at the insulting nickname. He took the hand weapon and noticed for the first time how heavy it felt in his hands.

"Obito gave it to me?" he wondered out loud. Then he hopped off the bed and trotted over to the glass door leading to the small balcony. He stepped out into the cold autumn air and placed his hands on the metal raisings, his right still gripping the kunai. He looked out into the town, the setting sun casting shadows to the left. He turned his right hand over to stare once again at the kunai, then back to the orange hued sky.

"I _will_ become stronger," he vowed sincerely to himself, then added irritably to himself, _if only to beat the hell out of that chipmunk one day._

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The Konoha and Grass shinobi arrived in front of the Hidden Grass Village roughly an hour before sundown. They had collected all the other Grass nins who had been hiding, and now they were a fairly large group. From the distance, Kakashi noted that the village wasn't as big as Konohagakure, and it seemed almost empty. Only a few houses were lit with lights, and the streets were mostly dark. As soon as they stood before the front gate, there were some movements from above.

"Touya-san!" came a shocked voice, accompanied by several other shouts of names. The gate was soon opened and people came running to meet them. However, they stopped a few metres away from the returning group, clearly hesitant and unsure of what to do. They mumbled and whispered amongst themselves, glancing uncertainly at the group of ninjas.

"Everyone," Touya said, stepping up. "I'm very sorry. I cannot hope to be forgiven so quickly, but I hope to regain your trust. We abandoned the village for a reason, but they helped to make us realise that what we did was wrong." He indicated to the Konoha shinobi. "We will explain everything to you once we're all settled. From now on, we hope to build this village together. For that to happen, I will need your trust and – "

There was a sudden pop, and a small, orange frog appeared on Kazuma's head.

"Kazuma, there's serious trouble," it said hurriedly. "Konoha is being attacked by the Kyuubi. You have to come back!"

For the first time in the nine years that Kakashi knew him, he noticed that his teacher's calm expression faltered into shock, dread, and even a little panic. He stood frozen for a moment before he caught his students' eyes. Swiftly he turned to Touya, whose attention was already on the Hokage.

"I would have liked to talk with you a while longer, but more important matters are pressing, I see," Touya said. Then he bowed his head low. "Thank you very much, Kazuma-san. We owe you too much. Please let us repay it in the future."

All the other Grass shinobi did likewise and Kazuma quickly executed a similar bow. Then he turned and leapt away, Kakashi and Obito hurrying behind. They travelled in silence for a while, Kazuma a few metres ahead of the two young Jounin.

"What are you going to do?" the frog asked quietly, still clinging to Kazuma's head.

"There are virtually no shinobi in any Country who can defeat the Kyuubi no Youko," he replied. "But it cannot be left to roam the Countries freely anymore, leaving destruction in its wake. It must be subdued here."

"How, may I ask?"

"There is only one way."

There was a pause before the amphibian spoke again. "No, Kazuma. You can't use that."

"I must, Gamamuchi."

"It won't work in the first place! Even you cannot restrain it _and_ kill it. The Kyuubi is too strong."

"Gamamuchi, I need you to find a newborn baby."

There was again a puse, just slightly longer. "There's no need to search for one," Gamamuchi said solemnly. "Uzumaki Naruto was born just now."

A strange light flickered in Kazuma's eyes, but it was quickly gone. He nodded. "Thank you Gamamuchi, for all your help."

The frog hopped down to latch onto Kazuma's forearm, and he looked directly up into his eyes. "It was an honour, Hokage-sama," it said, then disappeared. Kazuma dropped back to his students.

"Once you arrive back, I want you to look for a newborn child. His name is Uzumaki Naruto. When you find him, please bring him to me."

"Hai," Kakashi replied.

"What about you?" Obito asked.

Kazuma looked straight forward at the trees. "I need to sign a contract," he said. Without waiting a second, he was gone, disappearing into the falling night.

"Kazuma-sensei!" Obito shouted, but there was no response. He frowned. "What do you think he meant?"

Kakashi shrugged. "We need to do what he says. Hurry, Obito."

"Coming," he muttered.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Well, yeah, that's what I got on the one hour flight to Paris and twelve hour flight to Osaka, Japan. Lol. I do realise that the Grass nins' reason for abandonment wasn't all too great, but that wasn't quite the purpose for this arc, so this was the first thing that came to mind. Sorry about that.

**Leilani:** Just curious, where around do you live? (Don't answer that if it's too personal) You just always seem to be around whenever I update. Hehe. Anyways, hope you liked it. Yes, the battle scenes were a little lengthy, but at least I got a good action sequence for both Kazuma and Obito. Thanks for your review!  
**Sano:** Thanks a bunch! I'm glad you're still following. Yeah, the updates were a little slow, but now that we're getting closer to the final climax, I'm getting more excited as well. Hope you enjoyed!  
**Wyldcat:** Thanks. Yep, I did enjoy Japan. It was a short stay, but it was fun. Glad you liked the chapter!  
**HanaTenshiHimeko:** lol. A fight scene addict! It's a great honour, thank you! It was again a bit of a wait, but I hope you enjoyed this new update!  
**Audriel:** Hehe. I actually got really stuck on Kazuma's scene…didn't really know where to begin, but I guess it turned out fine. Thanks for the review, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter too!  
**Katzuki:** Yep, I have a horse, and I've been riding since I was around 4…can't really say I was riding though…it was the first time I sat on a horse. Heh, Kakashi's bunshin miracle…-- I was afraid people might not get it…He had a bunshin (illusion) that looked like it was holding a Chidori in front of a kage bunshin (replica), so that if a splinter went through an illusion, the replica would also vanish, making it look like the kage bunshin was holding the Chidori and it disappeared because it was hurt…(cringes) make any sense? So in reality, he only had one Chidori, and he used it for the sound effects….Anyways, thanks for reviewing!  
**Patty:** Thanks a bunch! Yeah, Obito in the manga was more clumsy…but I did realise that although he was a dropout of his clan, he could still use the Goukakyuu and walk on water without much effort…(shrugs)  
**NefariousPhoenix:** (grins) Nope, Kakashi still doesn't lose an eye and Obito still doesn't die. Lmao! Adult manga store! Wow, that must have been awkward. I feel really sorry for her. My brother knew all the big manga store. O.O man, there were so many! Ne ways, thanks for the review!  
**Nezuko:** I should have been the longest…yes…ah, I read slow in any case. Thanks for the compliments. (grins) Glad you liked the Kazuma parts!  
**Alana:** Thanksies! I actually wanted a more predatory type of insect, but I couldn't really find any, so I had Slicer (what a creative name) have blades. Lol. Anyways, I'm glad you liked it, and I hope the wait wasn't too unbearable.

Thanks to everyone else who is reading! (big hug)

.LinSetsu.


	44. Chapter FortyFour

Just a quick **note** to everyone: I think some people were expecting me to do something different with the Kyuubi event than what's written in the manga. I'm really sorry, but there isn't going to be many things different, just a few more details…I'm really, really sorry to those people who were expecting something…

**Chapter Forty-Four:**

By the time Obito and Kakashi reached the village, it was already completely dark. However, on the far side of it, it was glowing red and yellow, caused by flames of destruction that came from the battle. Stifling the urge to go and aid them, the pair made their way to the hospital. They were panting from the speed they had travelled at, their faces shimmering a little from the sweat. Although the doctors at the town had secured their injuries, they were beginning to twinge once in a while.

The hospital was already bustling with injured shinobi and citizens, as well as busy nurses. Kakashi and Obito made their way around all the activities toward the main desk. A nurse was hurriedly scribbling things down on her notepad.

"Um, we're looking for a newborn baby," Obito said a little quietly. The nurse took no notice, so after a moment he raised his voice a little. "Excuse me, we're looking for – "

"Do we look unoccupied?" the woman snapped angrily, briefly looking up from her paper to shoot them a glare. "We don't have time to merrily look up all the babies! What are you doing here anyways? You look fine! You should be out there – "

"It is a direct order from the Fourth that we search for this baby," Kakashi said with a cold edge to his voice. "You have no right to deny our question."

The nurse pursed her lips and sighed irritably, but nodded. "What is the name?" she asked.

"Uzumaki Naruto," Obito said. The nurse turned to the computer and typed in the name. She paused a moment, then frowned.

"Are you sure you have the right name? We have no record of a baby called Uzumaki Naruto."

"It's a newborn, or so sensei told us," Obito said. She shook her head.

"All babies born in this hospital are recorded. These files were updated today. Maybe it was house born."

"How can we look it up?" Kakashi asked.

"It'll be difficult," she replied. "You'll have to search through the registration list for the village, which the Hokage-sama should have, but that isn't updated as often as these records. If the child was born today, it's unlikely that it has already been added to the list, especially with this commotion."

Kakashi and Obito exchanged glances, and thanked the nurse, then quickly left the building. They stood to the side of the door, careful not to be in the way of people and remained silent for a while.

Obito decided to ask the obvious. "What should we do?"

"Kazuma-sensei seemed like he needed the baby for a definite reason, most probably something to do with the Kyuubi, so we can't just turn up empty handed," Kakashi replied.

"But we can't just go around the safety shelters asking everyone for a child named Uzumaki Naruto. I doubt we have that much time."

Kakashi frowned and gritted his teeth in frustration.

"Umm…"

Both boys looked up to see a young woman walking hesitantly over to them with a bundle in her arms.

"You mentioned Uzumaki Naruto?" she said, her tone bordering on a statement and a question. She glanced down at the bundle, then back up at the two. Kakashi nodded.

"Do you know where he is?" Obito asked.

"Well, yes," she said, shifting the cloths a little aside to reveal the face of a small baby who was fast asleep. "This child is Naruto."

"Are you…his mother?" Obito asked disbelievingly. She looked no older that eighteen. At the sudden question, she blinked a few times, completely shocked.

"No, I'm a medic apprentice at the hospital, but everyone was busy so I was sent to help the child birth," she replied, rather quickly.

"What about his mother?" Kakashi asked.

The girl averted her gaze. "She died right after giving birth and naming him," she responded quietly.

"His father?"

"I don't know. He wasn't in the house, and I did not ask." She looked up at them again. "I didn't know what to do, so I brought him here, and then I heard you talking about him. Were you possibly looking for him?"

Obito nodded. "Yondaime asked us to bring him Naruto. Would that be alright with you?"

"Of course, if it is the Hokage-sama's wish," she said, taking one last look at the baby, then extending him to the two. Kakashi took the bundle and nodded to the girl. He then turned and leapt up onto the roof tops. Obito grinned at the still nervous looking girl.

"Thank you," he said, then followed Kakashi. He found him waiting, and gazing out at the area of battle where they could now see the whips of fiery orange that were the nine tails of the Demon Fox. "Now what?" Obito asked. "We're to find sensei, but that's also quite some job."

"He'll be at the battle," Kakashi said. Obito glanced at him. "We're sure to find him there before long, if he isn't already there."

"I guess you're right," Obito said. Without further due, they made their way quickly over to the raging battle against the Fox. As they drew closer, the noise became louder and clearer. The ground shook from the force the Kyuubi was using, and flames were rising on all sides. Kakashi scanned the forest ground as he went, looking for any sign of his teacher. All he found were bloodied shinobi and medics. He once glimpsed a boy being forcefully removed from the battle, screaming to be let go.

"Where is he?" Obito muttered, likewise looking to and fro for Kazuma. His voice was mostly drowned out by the furious screams that came frequently from the Kyuubi. It raised a clawed paw and swept it across the ground with a snarl, and the sheer force of it created a sharp wind that blew towards them. The two immediately stopped and Kakashi turned around to shield the baby from any harm. There were screams from the ninjas and the battle raged on. Kakashi turned back around and saw that at least a dozen trees were torn apart, and bodies littered the flaming ground.

There was suddenly a large cloud of smoke and a giant frog appeared close by. Kakashi and Obito recognised it as Gamabunta, the boss of the Kuchiyose Frogs. They immediately headed in the direction, ignoring the cries of relief from the shinobi and the screech of rage from the Fox. They soon landed on the head of the frog and they found Kazuma standing there. He wore a white cloak over his regular Jounin outfit, which had red flame designs at the hem. It was clipped under his neck and he also wore a necklace with eight vertical, metal vines hanging to the main chain. When they arrived, he turned to them and beckoned them over.

"Thank you, Kakashi, Obito," he said, glancing down at the newborn boy Kakashi held. He was still asleep despite all the noise and action. He made no move to take Naruto however. Instead, he looked back at the Kyuubi who had stopped attacking the shinobi and was now glaring at them with its lips peeled back baring its sharp fangs. "Listen carefully," Kazuma continued in a calm, quiet voice addressing his two students. "I have created a contract with a God of Death, the Shinigami. In exchange to seal the Kyuubi within this young baby, it will take my life." He quickly held up a hand to silence the shocked remarks from his two students that he could already see forming on their lips. "Please do not interrupt. It is a light sacrifice; one life for the life of the village and of all the other Countries. It is nothing that I will regret doing."

"But sensei – !" Obito said.

"Not now Obito," Kazuma said, moving forward to take Naruto into his arms. He looked down into the small face and the newborn opened his eyes to gaze at Kazuma. The Hokage smiled. "I cannot eliminate such a powerful creature even if I seal it inside of me," he continued, never taking his eyes off the baby who remained very still. "Therefore, the Kyuubi will be sealed within Naruto. Its chakra will be able to fuse with Naruto's, as he is only a few hours old. I would like Uzumaki Naruto to be seen as a hero for the villagers; the boy in which the Kyuubi is sealed, the boy who is the village's saviour. He will no doubt witness a hard and difficult life being the bearer of such a beast, but I would like to think that they will both someday come to accept and respect each other."

Kazuma finally looked up from the newborn and turned again to face Fox who was tensely crouched, its nine tails flailing wildly. Kakashi and Obito did not dare to speak at the moment.

"He's not going to wait much longer, Kazuma," Gamabunta said.

"I know, I'll get started very soon," he replied, glancing down a little.

"You're really sure about this?" the frog asked.

"Yes."

"Then there is nothing I can say against your decision, Yondaime Hokage-sama."

Kazuma smiled again, and looked back up. He shifted a still quiet Naruto a little in his arms so that his two hands would be free. They came together, but paused in a standard sheep seal.

"Kakashi, Obito," he said without breaking the tense eye contact with the Kyuubi. They were instantly paying attention although they did not get any closer to their teacher. "From the first day we met, nine years ago, I have watched you grow and mature. You have endured many hardships and suffering; you have seen far more than even the average teenage shinobi should. And yet you have both kept your heads held high and never once shrank away the harsh reality that you were faced with. Never once have I regretted my decision of taking you as my students, of course, Midori included."

Kazuma turned his head to look at them, the smile still fixed on his calm and serene face. "There is nothing else for me to say, other than that I am proud of you and I enjoyed being with you all. Although I will no longer be here for you, do not lose who you are and help each other find the correct path to take. Do not grieve over me. As long as you work together, there will always be a way. You two are excellent shinobi, but before that, you are two closely bonded friends and nakama. Do not forget that." Kazuma paused. "Sayonara, Obito, Kakashi. It has been fun."

Before either of them could open their mouths, Kazuma had already turned back to the greatly agitated and furious Demon and his hands were already flicking through a set of complicated seals. Snake, boar, sheep, rabbit, dog, rat, bird, horse, snake. Kazuma did not need to glance behind him to know that the pale, robed figure of the Shinigami was looming there. The Kyuubi snarled and rushed forward, effortlessly knocking aside the ancient trees as it leapt towards Gamabunta. The Hokage's expression hardened as he watched the Fox approach. It reared up to bring its claws raking down. _Fuuin jutsu: Shiki Fuujin! _

A couple things happened in the next few seconds. While flames descended on the three shinobi, Obito and Kakashi could not quite make out what was happening. The blow never came from the Kyuubi, and instead, there was an ear splitting screech. Although quieter, there was also a continuous shrieking that was no less ferocious as the screech. Kakashi and Obito both knew that Kazuma had won the battle, and at the same time, was now dying. Almost as one, they dropped down to one knee and lowered their heads in respects.

Almost as quickly as it had all started, it ended. The flames cleared away unnaturally quickly, and the Kyuubi was no where to be seen. Kazuma was still standing with a shrieking Naruto wriggling in the cloth bundle. Both Jounin rushed forward, and the Hokage silently handed the crying baby to Obito. He took Naruto and looked up at Kazuma with wide eyes. The Fourth was smiling once again, his glazing eyes soft and kind. Then his eyes slid closed and his body went limp. Kakashi was quick to catch him before he fell and he gazed blankly at the peaceful expression on his teacher's face.

"Sayonara, Kazuma-sensei," Obito said.

"And thank you for everything," Kakashi finished.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The funeral held for the Fourth Hokage, Yukisaka Kazuma was done the day after his death. It was a cold and windy day, and dark, thick clouds were swiftly heading over to the village. All the Konoha shinobi stood in ranks, clothes in black and sorrowful. Before them stood a large frame, in which was the picture of the Yondaime. To the right and left stood numerous other frames of all the shinobi who died fighting the Kyuubi.

Kakashi and Obito stood silently together in the fifth row from the front and on the far left. Their hands were already empty of the flower that everyone was taking turns to place before the frames. They were both staring blankly at Kazuma's photo, like almost every other shinobi. The funeral continued in silence except for the gusts of wind that became increasing more frequent and strong.

Without any warning, the storm clouds broke free and the rain pelted down on the village. Within the matter of seconds, the rain was so heavy that no one could see more than twenty meters before them. The water splattered against the floor and soaked through all clothes. The wind that blew from west made the rain slant and caused it to strike each of the ninja many times over. Thunder rumbled in the sky, the lighting lost among the dense, grey curtain of mist and rain. Yet the funeral went on in silence, with only an occasional sob from young, inexperienced children.

The water streamed down Obito's face, leaking from his hair, over his hitai-ate and dripping into his eyes, his goggles lowered around his neck. Still, he did not blink, and gazed steadily at the largest frame. Kazuma wasn't smiling in the picture. That Kazuma was the Fourth Hokage. But Kazuma had been smiling when he had died. _That_ Kazuma was the man he knew, trusted and respected as a teacher and a mentor. And his teacher would always remain in his heart, smiling softly with kind, gentle eyes. Obito closed his eyes against the stinging rain, and Kazuma-sensei was there with Midori at his side, smiling.

Kakashi, with no explanation as to why, was recalling his first meeting with Kazuma back at the Academy so many years ago. It felt like much more than nine years ago, but he remembered it all very clearly. Maybe it was the picture that stirred the memory. Kazuma had looked just like he did in the photo on the day they had met. Stern and clearly not someone to cross.

(Flashback)

There were only nine children in the Academy classroom, and silence loomed over everyone. There were sounds of passing people beyond the door, and they could all distinctly pick up the muttering and whispering of the other envious students who had not passed the examination. Kakashi sat on the desk on the second row with his feet resting on the seat. His right elbow was propped up on his knee, and his chin rested in his hand. He glanced around the room to find Midori venomously glaring in his direction from the other side of the room, and the other six sitting stiffly, scattered around the desks. Then he looked down at his feet to see Obito laying flat on the seat with his hands cushioning his head. Obito cracked open an eye to meet Kakashi's gaze and grinned. Kakashi's only response was to roll his eyes and turn his attention to the wall.

The door to the classroom rolled open and three shinobi walked inside, then closed the door again. Obito sat up and Kakashi dropped into a seat, while everyone else also turned their attentions to the Jounin. On the right was a woman with brown hair pulled back into a high ponytail. She had her hands clasped behind her back and looked at the gathered children with what seemed like an amused interest. In the middle was a fairly short man with black hair that stuck up in almost every direction. His arms were crossed over his chest, and a small grin was plastered to his face as he examined the students. It was, however, the last man that drew Kakashi's attention. The man was tall with bright yellow hair and piercing blue eyes. His face was serious and the slight knit of his brows made him look much sterner and cold. He slowly shifted his gaze from one student to the next.

Kakashi was instantly put on guard when the man turned to him. Those clear blue eyes looked like they would penetrate into his heart and see through everything. But he did not look away and continued to stare back at the man. Finally, after what seemed like hours, the Jounin turned his attention to all nine of them. Then his hardened face suddenly broke into one of the calmest, warmest smiles that Kakashi had ever seen.

"You do not have to be so nervous," he said. "It's not like we're here to torture you."

Kakashi was sure he heard Midori mutter viciously, "I'm _not_ nervous, I'm just a _tad_ bit annoyed for being paired with _them_." Something acutely similar to laughter twinkled in the blond man's eyes, but he made no comment and Kakashi decided to ignore his soon to be team mate's little outburst.

"Now then, Team One will go with Arashi-sensei," Kazuma said, indicating the man who stood in the middle. "Team Two will be with me, and Team Three is to go with Yumi-sensei."

There was a considerable amount of shuffling and mumbling as the students grouped into the three teams. The woman and the short man soon left with their teams, but the blond made no move to follow them out of the classroom. Midori had inched over a little but still left a considerable amount of space between herself and the two boys. All three of them were on their feet, waiting to be either told where to go or be led there.

The blond man merely stood where he had before with the gentle smile. "We'll stay right here, so have a seat," he said after a while. Although slightly uneasy and unsatisfied, the three sat down. "Well then, I believe we have some introductions to do. My name is Yukisaka Kazuma. I am a Jounin teacher, as you can see, and – "

"Sensei," Midori cut in, her left eyebrow twitching now from the constrained anger, "I want to know why exactly I have to be in a team with these two! One is an idiot despite his Uchiha bloodline who always wears those stupid goggles and the other is a poker faced, unquestionably annoying genius! I will not be teamed with a goggled idiot and a masked genius!" She slammed her hands down on the desk and glared death at the two boys.

Obito sighed and shook his head. "This is why girls are so complicated," he muttered. "Weren't you listening when Mitsuki-sensei explained why we're in the same team? It – "

" – is because it balances out the skill levels of the teams this way," Kazuma finished, without losing even a hint of his calmness. "Midori, we will have a time to express opinions at a later point. Can I ask you to put up with it until then?"

Midori looked away with a foul expression still on her face but nodded.

Kazuma's eyes curled up into a smile. "Well then, let me hear about you three."

(End Flashback)

Kakashi closed his eyes for a moment and allowed the memory to fade. When he opened them again, he tilted his head back a little to look up at the dark clouds. The rain was starting to calm down, and he could endure the stinging drops that landed in his eyes. Within moments, the rain ended, leaving a grey environment around the village. Faintly, as though it were far away, he heard the Third Hokage talking to the gathered shinobi.

"Yondaime died as a hero, sacrificing his own life for the safety of this village. So that it does not become a false rumour, I will tell you the truth of what happened to the Kyuubi. Yondaime sealed it inside a boy, Uzumaki Naruto – "

Obito stirred a little, a prickling sensation spreading on the back of his neck. The air was suddenly filled with a menacing tenseness that radiated from the ninjas. It was, no doubt, directed towards the newborn that was sleeping soundly inside the Hokage office. They had brought him there the night before. Obito glanced at Kakashi who was looking straight ahead with his eyes narrowed dangerously. The elite Uchiha knew that his friend was furious at the people for already hating Naruto.

The Third was apparently thinking along the same lines, for his voice grew suddenly cold and louder. "I will not tolerate anyone who openly shows aggressions towards the boy. Although the Fox is sealed within him, there is no reason to hate him. Yondaime would not have acted like this if he had wished for you to despise that young child. He would not have done anything that would turn us against one another. However, from this day forth, I forbid the mentioning of the Kyuubi being sealed inside Naruto to anybody, be it family or friends. Anyone that breaks this law will be severely punished. I hope I make myself clear."

The funeral ended, and everyone slowly left. Kakashi and Obito lingered for a while, not wanting to be in the middle of the still angry adults. They caught glimpses of the Third who stood before the pictures, gazing mournfully up at the stone statues. The man looked weary and older than every before. Finally, the two made their way back to the village, walking in silence down the quiet streets. They parted after a while and Kakashi headed towards his apartment.

His light feet made no sound as he climbed the stairs. He fished out the key and opened the door to his room and stepped inside. He unconsciously closed the door and he leaned against it for a moment, unaware of his wet clothes against his skin that was already covered with goose bumps. His eyes fell on the picture above his bed of the team. Now their teacher was also gone. Kakashi gritted his teeth together and roughly pushed away from the door.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Kunai whistled through the foggy air, creating soft thumps as they hit the practice marks that were spread out widely in the forest. Obito landed softly on the wet ground, and swung his arms back, releasing the last two kunai that he had held. Two further thumps confirmed the precise hits he had made on the marks behind him. Without pausing, he withdrew four shuriken and tossed them spinning into the air. He bent his knees and leapt up, appearing above the flying weapons within an eyes blink. He drew his right hand over his left shoulder, four kunai lodged between his fingers. He threw them down and they clanged against the shuriken, sending each hand weapon in a different direction. Seven consecutive _thwacks_ sounded as they hit the marks. There was one different noise of metal hitting metal.

Obito landed and saw one shuriken lying in the grass along with a kunai that did not belong to him. He glanced to his right to see Kakashi walking towards him, his hands in his pockets. Like Obito, Kakashi had already changed into regular clothes along with the Jounin vest. It was barely fifteen minutes since the funeral had ended.

"I thought you would be here," Kakashi said when he got closer. He stooped down and picked up his kunai. He threw the shuriken at Obito, who caught it easily on his index finger.

"I couldn't keep still," Obito muttered, slipping the weapon back into the holster.

"Same."

They stood in silence for a short moment longer before Kakashi leapt forward and swung his fist at Obito's face. The Uchiha rotated anticlockwise on his right foot and continued to swing his left heel up to chest level. Kakashi flipped lightly over the leg, landed in a crouch and knocked his friend off his feet. Obito arched his back and flipped over his hands, then immediately ducked under a snap kick from his left. His right leg shot up almost vertically, forcing Kakashi to shift his weight backwards to avoid being kicked in the chin. Obito instantly rose and spun on his right foot, his left creating a swift, graceful arc that would have struck Kakashi in the stomach if his friend hadn't grabbed his foot in the last second. The two continued to fight with Taijutsu alone, but after a while, they began to converse while still locked in the fast moving battle.

"I kind of felt too lost at home," Obito said.

"Knowing that there wasn't going to be anymore messages or training appointments from sensei," Kakashi added.

"I still can't seem to accept that he's dead," Obito mumbled.

"Everyone is probably thinking the same thing," Kakashi replied.

"Yeah, but wasn't there another possible way? Couldn't he have defeated the Kyuubi without sacrificing himself? The village needed him."

"I'm sure he had thought through everything," Kakashi said quietly, closing his eyes and dodging the multiple attacks that were thrown at him. "Sensei wasn't stupid. He wouldn't have thrown away his own life if there had been other ways of saving the village."

"But I still can't – " Obito grimaced as a sharp kick struck the side of his face, sending him stumbling into the ground. He wiped the blood off his lips which he had bitten by accident and looked up to see Kakashi staring down at him with his eyes back open.

"Don't pointlessly question his decision, Obito," he said. "It won't bring him back. It will only sound like your dishonouring his name."

Obito remained crouched and brought a hand to his face. "Sorry," he mumbled. "It's just…" His other hand tightened into a fist, the fingers raking the ground and bending the grass. "We're _alone_ now."

Kakashi stepped closer to his friend and placed a hand on his slumped shoulder. "We're together though," he said quietly. Obito lowered his hand and looked up. They locked gazes for a while and both found comfort in each other. Obito finally managed a small smile.

"Yeah," he said. Kakashi offered him a hand. Obito took it and was heaved to his feet. "Come over for dinner. Mum was worried about you being alone."

Kakashi shrugged, and they walked together out of the forest and back towards the village.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Meh, as always (lately) I'm late with the update. And I was going to write a lot over the summer…really…(rolls eyes) Sorry everyone! Two big reasons: Harry Potter and Fullmetal Alchemist. Forgive moi!

**Leilani:** Oh right Texas. Never been there, but sounds like a cool place from what I've heard. My Chemistry teacher was from Texas. Yeah, the computer's quite addicted…I have a TV in my room, right next to my bed, but it's never on. The computers always on. Lol. Anyways, thanks for reviewing, and I hope you enjoyed!  
**Lightdragon**: eh, sorry for disappointing you about the battle…But this is practically the only thing that's the same with the manga/anime. Thanks for your review!  
**HanaTenshiHimeko**: (sigh) I'm starting to feel guilty now…I myself am not convinced that Naruto is the Fourth's son, but I'm not convinced that he isn't either…So I really didn't want to state it clearly. Yeah, there is so much conflict about this matter. Once again, really sorry, and thank you for reading/reviewing!  
**Bleumoon:** Thank you! meeeh…As I already told HanaTenshiHimeko, I'm really sorry for not clarifying whether Naruto is the son or not. So I just stuck in a little reaction. I'll leave people to continue pondering over this matter. Ah, thanks for your opinion about the battle lengths. I was starting to think the fighting scenes _were_ actually a bit too long. Changed my mind yet again. Lol.  
**Wyldcat:** Gamakichi is still a baby. Hehe. I actually have no clue how fast they grow, but oh well. Mm, no, Grass Village is finished for this story. Ah well, I may fit them into the sequel. Thanks for reviewing!  
**Audriel:** Yes, this is an AU. I edited the first chapter a little while ago to clarify that. Unfortunately no, I didn't make any assumptions on whether the Fourth's son is Naruto or not. I'm really, really sorry. I think I might continue up to the current timeline, but in a sequel. _Nakama_ will come to a close after one last arc (not giving away any more. hehe). Anyways, thanks for your review! Glad to know you were still reading!  
**Katzuki:** yay! You understood! I was afraid I only made you even more confused. Lol. Thanks for reviewing, I'm glad you liked it! Heh, yeah, I had fun with the hamster/chipmunk ordeal.  
**NefariousPhoenix:** O.O Oh dear…dying person discovered! I'm sorry for the delay! (pokes the cold body) Ah, sorry about the typos. I had written most of that chapter on the plane, and I just quickly typed it all up, and that's when I often make mistakes…A beta reader? No, I don't have one. I've considered it, but I don't know…Anyways, thanks for the review!  
**Alana:** Thanksies! I'm glad you liked it! Come to think of it, there have been quite a few cliff hangers lately. Well, there's more to come, that's all I can say. (grins) Sorry for the uneventful (original) version of the Kyuubi attack…In any case, hope you enjoyed!

Next and last arc coming up next! Thanks to everyone who are reading along! (big hug to all)

.LinSetsu.


	45. Chapter FortyFive

**Chapter Forty-Five:**

After the death of the Yondaime Hokage, the Third took the name once more. Although the villagers' anger towards Uzumaki Naruto did not cease, everyone obeyed the newly established law. With everyone's cooperation, repairs were done to the houses and streets that had been damaged. October gradually went by and everything began to settle down. Kakashi and Obito, like all other shinobi were given continuous missions to compensate for their lost numbers. Although only a handful died fighting the Kyuubi, many were severely injured and younger Genin and Chuunin were helping out with the repairs. As the days went by the weather grew increasingly colder.

Obito heaved a deep breath then sneezed loudly. He groaned and rubbed his hands along his long sleeved shirt.

"If that's a cold, don't pass it on to me," Kakashi said, walking beside the Uchiha down the streets of Konoha.

Obito glared at him. "It certainly wasn't my fault that I had to take a quick swim in that freezing lake!" he growled.

"The Chuunin would have been seriously injured if you hadn't have saved him," Kakashi replied. "The Chuunins are the Jounin's responsibility, Obito."

"I know that, thank you. But I wasn't the only Jounin around."

"I was busy with completing the mission. _You_ could have gone and gotten the scroll, but you said you would rather stand guard outside."

"I thought that would be easier," Obito mumbled quietly.

"What was that?"

"Nothing – " _Sneeze_. Kakashi rolled his eyes.

The two arrived at the Main Building where the Hokage's office was located. Upon arrival at the village, a messenger had told them that they were to hand in their reports to the Third directly in his office.

Obito sighed with relief the moment they entered the warm building. "I'm telling you, it's way too cold for October," he said as they walked past other shinobi and headed to the Hokage office.

"Yes, yes, whatever," Kakashi mumbled.

They stopped before the door and Obito reached out to the doorknob. He was about to grasp it, but he hesitated. He withdrew his hand, then raised it and knocked on the door three times. Kakashi glanced at him and when he saw the usual distant look in his friend's eyes, he looked away. Whenever they came here, they were used to simply walking in. This had been Kazuma's office, after all, for a few years. They had only used the door a number of times, since their teacher had allowed them to come and go as they pleased, namely through the window. They didn't have the need to knock, since Kazuma would be able to feel their presence in any case. Now when they came to the office or the main mission room, they would always somewhat expect Kazuma to be sitting across the desk.

"Come in."

Jarred from the little illusion, Kakashi opened the door and they stepped inside. Sandaime finished writing on scroll and looked up as they closed the door behind them. He nodded his greetings and the two bowed.

"The mission was successful," Kakashi said, stepping forward. He pulled out a two scrolls that were tightly bound shut and also a folded piece of paper that was their report. He handed all three items to the Hokage.

"Thank you Kakashi, Obito," the Third said, setting aside the scrolls and scanning through the report. He nodded again and looked up. "The reason I called you here is for your next mission."

Obito groaned almost inaudibly without changing his face expression. Kakashi stepped sharply on his foot and he bit his lip and sent a glare at his friend.

_You're going to pay for that later, Kakashi._

_I wonder if you're even capable of doing such a thing, Obito_.

The Third smiled wearily and it brought the two back into attention. "I'm very sorry about the non stop missions," Sarutobi said.

"Not at all," Kakashi responded quickly.

The smile faded from the Hokage's face and he sighed. "I'm sure you are aware of the more frequent disappearances lately? Two more disappeared last night, which makes the total number 26. There was a boy who saw one of them in the middle of the night en route out of the village with a girl. She thought they were on a mission so she didn't stop them. But this is now the third case where the disappeared shinobi was seen with the girl. We finally gathered all the descriptions and came to a conclusion that this girl is called Mitarashi Anko. She is currently twelve years old, and is Orochimaru's one and only student. It is not absolutely certain, but we are fairly sure about it. I want you two to keep an eye on her and track her down if she ever leaves the village. But do not harm her; just bring her back to me if anything happens."

"What if she is a clue as to the disappearances?" Kakashi asked.

"There are many possibilities; they can all be right or they can all be wrong. I don't have a clue as to what is going on, and I cannot even try to guess a conclusion. I will trust your decisions for whatever circumstances there may be."

"Understood," Kakashi said.

The Third nodded slowly, fixing them each with a serious gaze. "This is an important mission. I trust you with it," he said.

"Hai," they replied together.

They left the office and moments later, the building and walked down to the main streets. With little conversation, the two headed to Kakashi's apartment upon a mutual agreement. They would have more privacy there to talk through the mission plan. Or, it that was what they had thought before they entered the apartment.

Kakashi opened the door and blinked a few times at what he saw. Yuki, dressed in his ANBU uniform was squatted on the opened windowsill. He was looking from side to side, but when Kakashi walked in, he froze, his mouth partly open. Obito frowned when Kakashi stopped so suddenly and peered over his shoulder. His eyes grew wide.

"Yuki!" he breathed.

"If you're going to go through with your plan of sneaking into someone's house, then please get a move on and stop blocking the way!"

Yuki gave a strangled cry as he was shoved forward and off balance. He tumbled through the window and landed unceremoniously on his face on the floor. Grumbling under his breath, Ryo appeared at the window and leapt lightly inside, directly on Yuki's back, completely ignoring the second distressed cry from his comrade, which was quickly followed with a growled, "_Ryo_…"

"Sorry to intrude like this, Hatake," Ryo said, making no move to get off Yuki. Kakashi sighed with resignation, slipped off his shoes and stepped into the room. Obito took his shoes off, but his eyes were fixed on his cousin who seemed to be having some difficulty breathing.

"Why in the world are you here, Yuki?" he asked, though not in the most politest way possible.

The ANBU lifted his head up from the floor and smirked. "I just came to see how the genius was doing, and you happened to be with him. But I heard some more interesting things along the way. I hear you were unable to successfully deflect an enemy's attack and you ended up being thrown into a lake, Obito? And you call yourself a Jounin? How pathetic."

"Wha – !" Obito bristled and glared down at Yuki. "If I had been on my own, then I would have won easily! I saved a Chuunin from being sliced into fifty pieces! Besides, I defeated the enemy within seconds before I landed in the water."

"Ryo, are you sure you assessed him correctly during the Jounin exam?" Yuki was asking, paying no heed to Obito. A large vein throbbed on the young Uchiha's temple and a murderous aura flared around him.

"Listen to what people are saying!" he snarled, hurling a kunai at his cousin's face. Yuki paled and rolled to the side, while Ryo stepped in the opposite direction. Kakashi caught the kunai a few centimetres from where it would have plunged into Yuki's shoulder. Then he turned and rounded on his friend.

"Think about what you're going to do before you actually do it, you numskull," he growled dangerously.

"What, he's the one who provoked it!" Obito defended.

"My, my, letting our temper get the hold our actions are we?" Yuki drawled with a smug look on his face, his arms crossed over his chest. "How childish. _Unthinkable_ for a Jounin to lose his calm."

The dangerous aura reappeared around Obito as he glared death at Yuki. "Why you...I don't see you for a little while and now you come merrily along, trying to make up for the missed annoyance, do you?" He closed his eyes for a moment, struggling to remain under control, and managed to come up with a sly expression. "Besides, who are you to talk about losing one's calm, when _you_ were the one who went diving into Kakashi's Chidori without _calmly_ thinking of some other way to stop him finishing the Jounin Exam. The ANBU must be having a rather hard time dealing with a lousy, hot headed, overgrown child like you."

Yuki's smirk was wiped clean off his face and his eyes were narrowed with clearly irritation. A cold grin pulled his lips as he lowered his hands and locked gazes with Obito. "You're quite courageous; are you picking a fight with me, 'ickle Obi-chan?"

"I'm looking forward to it," Obito replied. "It's about time we settle this, _Masayuki-sama_."

Ryo sighed and shook his head, as he watched the two bristling at each other, their noses hardly ten centimetres apart. Suddenly Obito took a few quick steps back, his hands already finishing a set of seals. His chest expanded and Ryo knew immediately that they would soon have to call the fire brigade.

_Katon Gouka – _

Kakashi smacked Obito upside the head with enough force to knock him forward and almost off balance. A gurgled sound came from the back of Obito's throat as a small candle flame sized fire curled out from his mouth. Then even that burned out when Kakashi hit him again with the sole of his foot.

"Arg!" Obito cried out, barely managing to stay on his feet. "KAKASHI! What in the hell was that for!"

"You're the one who's trying to use flame ninjutsu _indoors_!" Kakashi seethed. "If you want to fight, then do it outside!"

"He's still the one who provoked it!"

"And you're the one who fell for his provocations."

"It's his fault – "

" – as much as it is yours."

"Then why is it that only I get hit!"

"Because you're the idiot who tried to burn the whole building down!"

"I wasn't – "

Yuki smiled and it quickly drew both of their attention to him. "You're doing better than I thought," he said, then continued when they frowned quizzically. "I thought you would be depressed and low spirited after Yondaime's death. We've been having mission after mission so there wasn't really a time to come and visit you." He shrugged. "Well, I guess it was meaningless worry on our side, eh, Ryo?"

"Indeed," Ryo said with a small smile. Obito and Kakashi forgot about their trivial argument and fell into silence for a few moments. It was Obito who finally spoke up.

"We couldn't just wallow in our grief forever," he said, looking out beyond the window at the midday sky. "Kazuma-sensei didn't what us to do that in the first place. We respect his actions and his hopes, so we will not hate Naruto as most of the villagers already do. Naruto is supposed to be a hero. So the only thing left for us to do is to remember him and keep walking forward." He glanced at Kakashi. "Right?" He nodded.

Yuki smirked. "You've matured," he muttered.

Obito's eye twitched. "Meaning we were immature before?" he demanded. Yuki opened his mouth to reply, but the sound of the window opening stopped him. They all turned to see an ANBU crouched on the windowsill.

"_There_ you are, Yuki, Ryo," he said with a sigh. He pushed up his mask and fixed the two with exasperated looks.

"Yo, Renji," Yuki greeted cheerfully.

"Not 'yo'," Renji said. "Even if you did just get back this morning, you should have received a message to be at the meeting that started half an hour ago."

"Message?" Ryo asked with a frown, then shot Yuki a nasty look, who flinched very slightly.

"You mean this little guy?" Yuki asked, pulling out a small bird that had an unnaturally large stomach and lay motionless on his palm. Renji's jaw dropped at the sight, which obviously meant that this was the message he had been talking about. Ryo narrowed his eyes at Yuki accusingly.

"Yuki-san?" he asked with barely constrained frustration.

Yuki grinned innocently and rubbed the back of his head with his free hand. "Hahahaha." When he received two venomous glares from his colleagues, he sighed. "Okay fine, I'm responsible, but you see, I gave him a quick snack for his hard work every day, and he enjoyed it a lot. So I gave him a bit more, and even more, until he fainted from being so full. Look, it's not my fault he didn't stop eating!"

Eventually, Ryo and Renji dragged Yuki out of the apartment through the window and hauled him off to the meeting they were supposed to be in. They shouted a quick goodbye (Yuki fitting his in between protests of his doubted innocent) and soon disappeared from view. Obito and Kakashi were left blinking at the open window while the cold, autumn wind blew a few stray leaves inside.

"Now what was _that_?" Obito asked, breaking the silence. "And he calls me immature." Kakashi rolled his eyes and quickly moved to shut the window. He sighed and sat down on the bed, trying to recall and focus on what they were there for.

"The mission," he muttered, pulling out a scroll that the Third had given them with the basic facts of the girl, Mitarashi Anko. "We can't simply go asking about her, so I suppose the only option is to continuously keep watch over her."

"I guess so," Obito said, sitting down backwards on the chair by the desk, straddling the backrest and resting his arms on it, "although stalking a small girl isn't in my area of interest."

"Obito."

"I'm sorry."

"Taking it in shifts will be the most appropriate way," Kakashi continued thoughtfully. "Twelve hours – no six hours. We'll be having to conceal our presence so the shorter the better."

"If she moves, we send word to the other by…birds during daylight and cats during night time," Obito said. Kakashi nodded. "We decide upon the first shift by…?"

They met each others eyes and a meaningful look was exchanged.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Can I be forgiven for the past tardiness by this fairly quick update? Please? Lol. Nevermind, I think my muse has returned (a week before school starts dammit). And talking about deaths (I was reminded while reading the reviews), has anyone seen the anime of _Fullmetal Alchemist_? I couldn't come to accept Maes Houghes' (don't know the correct spelling. Good friend of Roy's, obsessed with his daughter, you know) death for at least five more episodes. Is it just me?

Well, I just wanted to share that little, random thought…

**Patty:** Thank you. I'm glad that you think everything was just right. I kind of struggled with Kazuma's last scene…Oh well, hope you enjoyed!  
**NefariousPhoenix:** Well, Naruto lashes out at them verbally and interally (is there such a word?) at the least. Cannibalised…hmm…I don't know about that one, lol. I have a rough idea of what I'll do, but that'll give some things away, so I'll keep my mouth nice and shut for now. (grins) Thanks for your review!  
**HanaTenshiHimeko:** Ah, Yondaime will be happy for the funeral! Hehe. What do you mean 'when they find Uzumaki Naruto'? You mean, when they find out that the little blond haired, blue eyed boy is the Kyuubi's container? Anyways, thanks for reviewing!  
**Audriel:** Yeah, I'm sure that Yondaime and Naruto are in some way related, but yeah, I guess that's another secret we may be filled in with sometime in the manga. Lol. I'll be sure to tell you about the sequel (I _will_ write it eventually). Actually, Obito surviving the Massacre is an interesting idea…really…Thank you for reviewing!  
**Wyldcat:** Thank you. I'm glad you liked it! I hope this update wasn't too long of a wait!  
**Katzuki:** Thanksies. Yes, I didn't change a lot of things from the manga. Only that Kakashi and Obito were there when he died. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!  
**Irish Guy:** lol yeah! Now that you mention it, the teams _are_ kind of similar, but if you'll believe me, I didn't base it on Naruto's team. It just kind of naturally formed in my head and it felt right. Thank you for your compliments! It really made me happy (grins). Yay! Someone who recognises my strange sense of humour! Lol.  
**Leilani:** Ouch, school…Mine starts soon too. Noooo. (pouts) Oh well, in a year the summer will come again. With VENGENCE! Lol. Thanks for taking the time to read the chapter and review! Good luck with school!

And as always, thanks to everyone else who is reading along! (big hug)

.LinSetsu.


	46. Chapter FortySix

**Chapter Forty-Six:**

Obito hid in the shadows of a tall building overlooking a normal household and he yawned as discreetly as possible. All the lights in the house were turned off, and the only source of light came from the dim streetlamps and the gibbous moon. Obito yawned again and rubbed his eyes to keep them from sliding shut and never opening again for at least a few hours.

"I can't believe my luck," he grumbled under his breath. "I don't see why we even resorted to _rock-paper-scissors_ in the first place to decide on first watch duty!" Obito had lost the little match, and therefore had taken the first shift, which he had thought wasn't so bad. Kakashi took over from the evening until midnight – which left Obito to do the midnight until dawn shift, which were the hours where he and his body wanted to sleep the most. Kakashi would take over from dawn, and at midday, it would again be Obito's turn, and the cycle would keep going without any change. Obito was always the one on the midnight – dawn shift, which he hated with a passion by now.

Three days had passed since they had been given the mission, and nothing spectacular had happened. Anko hadn't received any missions that took her outside of the village, and she was often on her own. If other groups of children around the same age were playing, she would simply walk past them and be seemingly oblivious to whatever they said. On the few occasions when she wasn't alone, she was with Orochimaru in the training grounds, but compared to the amount of time Obito and Kakashi had spent with Kazuma, she and Orochimaru's time together was surprisingly short, lasting an hour at the most. During these times, Kakashi and Obito would pretend to be training together close by, never getting too close, but never straying too far away. Every time, they would perform a henge to change their appearances. Obito would keep his Sharingan activated to enable a better lookout. Other than that, Anko would spend time training alone or reading in the library. Once or twice they watched her eating a snack in the dango shop.

The mission was starting to become tiring. Constantly concealing one's presence wasn't achieved without a price, and he hadn't been able to sleep well due to the shift times. He had asked Kakashi time and again to change the watch times but he refused each time, which had led Obito to produce sentences of curses and names. To add to that, he hadn't rested too well for a few weeks due to continuous missions.

Obito yawned yet again. There were still around three hours until daybreak. Surely a little girl wouldn't be up to anything at such an hour. She hadn't done anything during this shift for the past three days in any case.

Before he knew it, Obito's eyes slowly slid closed and he fell instantly asleep. It seemed like less than a minute he jerked awake when something collided painfully against his head. He sprang to his feet and looked up to see Kakashi glowering at him. Obito blinked, his eyes wide as he tried to figure things out. _I wasn't sleeping, was I?_ Kakashi's eyes told him exactly that he had indeed been sleeping.

"But – " he mouthed, looking around. It was still dark, a good two hours before dawn. Kakashi nodded down to the entrance of the Mitarashi household where two young girls were standing. One had dark hair that bordered on a shade of purple, which was tied up in a short, bushy ponytail. They recognised her from the identification picture of Anko. The other girl looked to be around the same age, with long, black hair that was rustled by the faintest breeze. The two girls seemed to whisper for a moment, then sprinted quietly down the streets, flitting through the shadows. Kakashi and Obito followed without a word.

"Why are you here?" Obito asked no louder than a faint whisper. "It wasn't time to switch yet."

Kakashi glanced at him and he swore he saw the look saying _I'm glad I came, with you sleeping soundly. Take the mission more seriously, idiot._ Yet useless speech while trying to be unnoticed was forbidden. "I felt a presence just outside the window so I woke up. When I followed it, I came to the house and the presence belonged to the other long haired girl." What he didn't add, was that he thought something didn't feel quite right, but he pushed that away. The Third had apparently been right about Mitarashi Anko being up to something.

They followed the two girls out of the village and towards the south east. Judging from her movements and stamina, the second girl was most likely a Genin not long out of the Academy. The uneasy feeling rose within Kakashi again. It made sense that he had awoken to a presence so close to him, but the children were taught how to conceal their presence in the Academy. Was it simply that this girl was too inexperienced and perhaps not all too talented? He stirred from his thoughts as the two girls started to speak quietly to each other.

"Anko, what was the point in bringing this along?" the girl asked, opening her hand to reveal something small and rather ragged. Kakashi narrowed his eyes. Could that be the reason she had come close to his apartment?

"Actually, I'm not quite sure why," Anko replied. "But sensei said he needed it. It's pretty, isn't it? It's such a dark red, it's like fresh blood."

"Ruby, more like," she said, tucking it back into a pocket. "Ne, why does Orochimaru-sama want to see me? And to tell us to come out at such a time."

Anko shrugged. "I don't know, but you don't have to be nervous. He's really a nice person, he just looks so scary. He's the best teacher. He made me so much stronger and taught me so many things in the past six months, it's amazing."

"You're lucky. We're still learning the basics."

Anko grinned but made no reply. They travelled in silence for almost an hour, leaping from tree to tree and taking a short break in between. Obito and Kakashi followed them without any conversation, keeping a respectful distance between them, but never letting them out of their sight.

The sky was starting to very slowly lighten, when Anko suddenly stopped and the girl had to double back a few branches.

"An – "

"Yugao, we're being followed," Anko cut in, spinning around and throwing a kunai in Kakashi and Obito's direction. With a quick look at each other, the two avoided the weapon while still remaining hidden. With a little between them now, they caught each other's eyes again and the same question flashed silently between them. How had she noticed? Their cover had been perfect. They wouldn't have known the other was there if he had not been able to see him. How had a Genin seen through that? But more importantly, they had just failed a large part of the mission.

The hairs on the back of Kakashi's neck rose and he instinctively glanced at the kunai that was lodged into a nearby tree. Not a second later, the talisman wrapped around the handle exploded, and the two were forced to leap down and avoid any damage. Kakashi landed on a low branch, much closer to the two girls than he had ever intended to come. He pressed himself against the large trunk and further concentrated on keeping his presence hidden. He searched for Obito, but found no trace of him close by, which had him questioning the abilities of this Mitarashi Anko. Something was approaching him quickly and he broadened his senses. It wasn't a human or a weapon; something in between. _Behind._ He spun around and ducked under a snake that shot out from behind the tree, the poisonous fangs missing his neck by a few close centimetres.

"Come out you annoying pest," he heard Anko call. "My sweet little friends will find you sooner or later. There's no point hiding anymore!"

'Pest'? In the singular form? Kakashi swiftly drew a kunai and threw it at the snake, pinning its head to a branch. It coiled and struggled for a few more seconds before it hung limp. When he was sure it was dead, Kakashi turned his attention to the two girls. He heard a rustling from above and saw Obito coming down to land in front of them. After him came five more, thick, long snakes, their fangs bared and their eyes gleaming. Kakashi recognised them now as a species of poison snakes that lived in the Forest of Death.

Anko sniggered. "I'll have you die here," she said, and the snakes closed in around Obito.

"Anko?" Yugao asked uncertainly. "He's a Konoha Jounin, a fellow villager. We can't – "

"He's here because the Hokage betrayed Orochimaru-sensei and wants him dead," Anko said fiercely.

"What are you – " Obito started to ask, but he didn't have the time to finish.

"Shut up!" Anko shouted, flicking two shuriken at him. Obito dodged them with ease, and used a Kawarimi to avoid being really bitten by the snakes at once. His hands flashed through a well used set of seals and he quickly took a deep breath. _Katon Goukakyuu no jutsu._ The fire instantly burned both the piece of dried log and all the snakes that were still clinging on to it. He landed and raised his left hand to block a snap kick, then jerked his head to the side to dodge a kunai aimed for his face. Anko landed and spun around, swinging a foot at Obito, which he lightly leapt over. He landed on a slightly higher branch and frowned down at her.

"We aren't here to harm anyone," he said quickly. "There's no need for such violence."

Anko glared up at him and jerked her right hand a little. Four needles slid down between her fingers and she threw them at him. Obito tossed them aside with a kunai, and noticed that the girl had her hands in a standard seal. He was immediately aware of the preliminary stages of a genjutsu, and he brought his right hand up. _Kai._ The effects wore off and Anko came down on him with a drop kick. Obito stepped back to avoid it, then defended himself against an incessant series of taijutsu attacks. As expected from a small girl, all the blows were light and lacking the speed that would be a challenge for Obito. Nevertheless, she was quick and agile, and also tactful whenever she threw in a weapon to try and create an opening.

After unsuccessful attempts, Anko leapt back, her teeth grinding together and her eyes narrowed in anger. Obito was looking increasingly ill at ease. "Look, it's not going to work, so let me try and explain some things. You're misunderstanding a lot."

Suddenly Anko grinned and straightened from a battle stance. "Not going to work?" she repeated. "I don't think so. This is the strength that Orochimaru-sensei gave me." She closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them again, a black pattern began to spread from the side of her neck. The grin grew into a smirk as the pattern kept stretching until it covered her face, arms and legs.

Obito watched this with a frown. He had never seen such a pattern before. He wouldn't have been so surprised if there hadn't have suddenly been a tremendous increase of dark aura that surrounded the girl. Without any further warning, Anko leapt forward with a speed that was on a completely different level from before. She swung a horizontal kick at him, which he stepped back from, then he ducked under a full volley of needles. Before he had the time to straighten, a fist flew at him, and he caught it in his right hand. He was shocked at the amount of power it held. What is that mark?

Anko smiled triumphantly. _Seienjashu!_ Obito's eyes widened when snakes sprang forth from within her sleeves and wrapped around his hand and arm that had caught her fist. He instantly pulled back, but they prevented him from getting too far. The fangs plunged into his arm and he was relieved to know they weren't poisonous. He winced and reached behind to retrieve a kunai, but two shuriken flew from the side and cut the snakes cleanly in half. Anko jerked her head in the direction from which the weapons had come with wide, surprised eyes. It was already too late when she noticed that someone was behind her. She spun around but Kakashi knocked her feet out from beneath her and pinned her down to the branch with his left forearm. In his right hand, he held a kunai, which he brought close to her neck.

"Don't move," he warned sternly.

"Kakashi!" Obito said with a frown as he removed the snakes and rubbed his wounds.

"Will she stay put and listen to us any other way?" Kakashi asked. To this, Obito had nothing to say. He sighed and crouched beside the girl. Her lips were peeled back from her teeth and she glared furiously up at them. She tried to struggle but Kakashi gave her no chances to become free and when the kunai blade touched her neck lightly, she froze.

"Anko, will you please listen to what we say?" Obito asked. "If you do, then we can let you go. We really have no intentions of hurting you."

Anko made no reply. "What were you planning to do, sneaking out of the village at this – " Kakashi began but he stopped mid sentence and he immediately leapt away from the girl. Not a second later, a large, four bladed shuriken flew over Anko, which would have slice Kakashi in half had he not reacted. He and Obito slowly looked around them at the eight shinobi that surrounded them.

"Shinobi…from Konoha," Obito noted.

"Konoha?" one of them snorted, saying the name with a mix of mock and disgust. "No, we're finished working under that weak village. We're now direct subordinates of Orochimaru-sama."

"Oh? So you and Orochimaru-sama are betraying the village?" Obito asked.

"Correct, boy."

"So the disappearing shinobi has something to do with Orochimaru." There was no longer any need to address him in the honorific.

"Yes, they have become very useful to our master," the shinobi replied. "Very useful indeed for experiments."

Obito's eyes narrowed coldly. "Are they alive?" he asked cautiously.

"If they are, they would wish they were not."

"And you watch this happen to your comrades?"

"We are no longer comrades, you must remember. We must be merciless to the enemy under given circumstances. It's the rule and law of the shinobi, young boy."

Obito's hands tightened into fists and anger flared in his cold eyes. "Enemy? How can people who you grew up with, fought along with and trusted be enemies! They trusted you! They were your nakama! Of course, those in the ninja world who break the rules and regulations are called trash. But those who don't care about their comrades are even worse than trash."

The shinobi smirked. "We don't have time to play along with your childish justice games. We have orders to kill you."

Obito and Kakashi were pushed back through the trees from the sudden onslaught of combined attacks. It was clear that these shinobi were high ranking Chuunin with perhaps one or two Jounin. It wasn't anything they couldn't deal with, but they couldn't forget about Anko and Yugao, who were tagging along at the moment. They landed in a large clearing and stood back to back in the center of the other eight.

"Anko, get back to Orochimaru-sama," a ninja called. Out of the corner of his eyes, Kakashi saw her nod and take Yugao with her as she made her way out of the clearing and back into the trees.

"Obito, I'm going to follow them," he breathed quietly. He felt Obito nod.

"Leave these scum to me," he whispered back. Reaching into his back pocket, he took out a small ball and threw it down. The moment it touched the ground, it exploded in a cloud of smoke. It cleared away quickly, and Obito threw a few kunai in random directions, one the weapons being a transformed Kakashi. The ninja who avoided them laughed mockingly.

"You'll have to do better than that," he said, then the smile faded from his face. "Where's the Hatake?"

"Oh that?" Obito replied. "He's just a Kage Bunshin with a few Henge changes. I thought it might be easier to scare two girls with a well known face. Kakashi should be waking up soon back in Konoha to take over the watch shift."

"And you intend to take on us all alone, Uchiha?" they jeered.

"I'll be more than enough to deal with a few trashes," he replied.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Kakashi tracked down to the two using his keen sense of smell. They were heading now in a stepper angle towards the South. After a little while, Kakashi caught up with them again, and silently took up the role of following them. The two were no longer talking, and Yugao was still looking a little uneasy. She kept glancing around nervously, which resulted in Anko having to tug her hand once her twice so that their speed didn't drop. Anko's strange pattern had subsided again, and Kakashi noticed three dots with curves tails on her left neck.

When roughly around ten minutes passed, the sky was fairly light, but there were low, dark clouds that prevented any of the sun to shine through. Anko and Yugao began to slow down and soon jumped down into a clearing the shape of half an oval. On the far side was a wide canyon, to which, Kakashi could see no bottom to. He left that matter aside for the moment, for his attention was caught on the figure that stood in the clearing. Anko quickly walked over to Orochimaru.

"Sensei, it was exactly as you said," she said. "When I sent the snakes out, they found Uchiha Obito following us. But there was also another boy. He had silver hair and a mask on. I'm not sure who he was. They should both be busy with the others at the moment."

"A boy with silver hair?" Orochimaru muttered. "Interesting. It should be the Hatake boy. And they are both with the others in the designated place, Anko?"

"Yes, sensei."

Kakashi began to feel uneasy. They had fallen straight for a trap. It wasn't Anko who had realised they were following her. It had been Orochimaru who predicted they would come. What for though? Just to get rid of them? And the second thing that tugged at his conscience was that Orochimaru hadn't spared Yugao even one glance. They had played right into his hands.

"Very good, my student," Orochimaru praised, rested a hand on her head and sliding it down to cup her cheek. She smiled and looked up at him with pure trust and affection. "Well then, Anko, your role is finished here. I no longer need you. Farewell, my student. You have been useful."

Anko looked up at him questioningly. He withdrew his hand and raised the index and middle finger in a one handed seal. Kakashi narrowed his eyes. Anko immediately froze, her eyes wide and her mouth opened in a silent scream of agony. Her hand went instantly to the three dots on her neck and she fell to her knees, curling up in a ball.

"Anko?" Yugao called, dropping down beside her. "Anko!"

"Se…sensei," Anko whispered. "Orochimaru-sensei!"

Orochimaru chuckled softly and walked away from Anko. "I have some business with Uchiha Obito," he said. "Or, to be more specific, with his Sharingan. It is only a matter of time until I gain what I want." He turned his head slowly to look straight into Kakashi's eyes. The contact lasted barely a second before he disappeared. Kakashi's eyes widened. _He knew I was here from the beginning_. He cursed and was about to go after Orochimaru when Yugao's distressed voice reached him. He hesitated and then leapt down to the two girls. Yugao looked up, startled, but Kakashi paid her no attention.

He reached out to the mark and before he even touched it, he felt the pulsating energy it emitted. It was glowing faint. Anko's breathing became ragged and shallow. She kept whispering Orochimaru's name between gasps of breath. Her body shook from pain and her face was already coated with a layer of sweat. Kakashi raised his hand to bring down on the back of her neck, but before the blow landed, Anko gave a last shudder and fell still.

"Anko?" Yugao muttered. Kakashi checked for a pulse and found it. Her body had simply blocked out the pain. He quickly rose to his feet.

"Take her and go back to the village," he ordered. "Take her directly to Hokage-sama; he should be able to do something about that mark. She's innocent, don't worry, she was only deceived Orochimaru. Go quickly!"

Before he had even finished talking, Kakashi was already leaping into the trees and flying as quickly as he could back towards the clearing where Obito should be. His heart was racing from near panic. _Obito…Obito!_

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

(Bounces around despite the tension in the story) Quick update, no? Compared to some previous ones. Well okay, the quickest updates I did were one almost every day last autumn during the October Break, but still. I don't know if you all readers think the same way, but I personally intend this area to the full climax of the story…(shrugs) Will see!

Translations:  
_Seienjashu: _I personally don't have any idea as to what that translates into…But it was used by Anko in Naruto book number 6, chapter 50, page 96.

**Mktkm:** Thank you! Lol yeah, it was so funny how he was so obsessed with his daughter. Ah, nice memories. Apparently he comes back in flashbacks during the FMA movie that was released this summer. Or so my brother informed me.  
**NefariousPhoenix:** lmao! Well, I could open my mouth and spill incorrect and instable information, or keep it shut. Whatever you like! Thanks for reviewing!  
**Anime Lance:** Thanks for your review! Yeah, if he hadn't have died, I think I he would have become my new favourite anime character. (grins)  
**HanaTenshiHimeko:** Well, it would be interesting, but it didn't quite fit in…hehe. Yuki and birds. I just had to fit in a little comical relief. Hope you enjoyed and the wait wasn't too long! Thanks for reviewing!  
**Katzuki:** Yay! I love Yuki and Ryo too! I am going to definitely keep those two for the sequel! Lol. Thanks for the review!  
**Wyldcat:** True, it was a little short, but it was a nice place to end it. Thank you! I hope you continue to enjoy!

Thanks for reading everybody!  
.LinSetsu.


	47. Chapter FortySeven

**Chapter Forty-Seven:**

_Obito…Obito!_

Kakashi leapt with all the speed he could gather, tearing through the branches and taking a direct route towards the clearing. He would admit it, Obito was strong both with and without the Sharingan. But if his opponent would be one of the Legendary Sannin, Orochimaru…It was highly unlikely that Obito would be defeated in the matter of a minute, but he needed to hurry. Orochimaru's aim was the Sharingan. What did he want with it? There was only so much that a non Uchiha blood shinobi could do with those eyes. Kakashi shook his head. Thinking wasn't going to get him anywhere.

There was a loud crash in the direction where he was heading and Kakashi's heart almost stopped for a second. He was almost there. Using bouts of chakra to further increase his speed, Kakashi burst out into the clearing and then his heart did stop. His throat tightened and his eyes widened. He suddenly couldn't feel his legs anymore and his hands began to tremble. With one glance, he took in the whole scene. Four shinobi were sprawled around on the ground, clearly dead, while the other four were grouped together, all of them injured lightly in one way or another. Weapons were scattered, the surroundings were burned, trees were splintered and the earth upturned. In the centre of all this stood Orochimaru, unscathed.

To the right, at the end of a long, thick trail that dug into the ground, between the large roots of an ancient tree lay Obito. He was on his side; his clothes ripped and in places burned, and around him was already a puddle of blood. Obito's blood.

"OBITO!" Kakashi screamed, taking no notice of the others. In an instant he was beside his friend, lifting his head up and resting his upper body against his propped up knee. "Obito, Obito! Obito! Wake up Obito!" He wasn't dead. Kakashi could hear the small wheezing breath and felt a weak pulse. He checked his body and found numerous gashes and wounds caused by kunai and shuriken. His left arm and right leg were twisted in an unnatural angle. He was bleeding from a wound on his temple, staining the side of his face.

Obito's goggles were on the ground, shattered and broken.

He lightly moved his hand down Obito's torso and could feel at least four broken ribs. Kakashi swore when he saw twin bottle cap sized holes directly to the right and left of his heart.

"Obito!" he shouted. "Obi – "

"…kashi."

"Obito!"

Obito slowly opened his eyes, still with the Sharingan activated, and looked up at Kakashi. "Sorry," he whispered hoarsely. "I was doing fine until Orochimaru came. Those snakes are serious carnivores."

"Don't speak now, we're getting out of here," Kakashi snapped. "Our mission's finished we don't have any business – "

"Stop, Kakashi," Obito said, shaking his head a little. "I'm finished – "

"No you aren't. Just keep quiet and – "

"Kakashi listen to me. I'll die on the way back anyways. I only have a few minutes and I want to use them…" He paused, then slowly smirked. "Wisely."

"Cut it out, the hospital will have no problem healing you."

"Just shut up and listen to what I say, geez." Obito coughed weakly, adding another few streaks to his already bloody chin. He closed his eyes. Kakashi couldn't help his hands shaking. "We've never failed a mission before, have we?" Obito continued, opening his eyes and looking up at the cloudy sky. "When Midori died, I would have sought for revenge if you and Kazuma-sensei weren't there. It was a war, I know, the person who killed her would have probably already been killed. I might have even blamed Misa for it or the whole Hidden Rock village. But you two were there and kept me on the right path. When sensei died, I was really lost. I felt so empty when I knew I would never see him again. But you came to me and reminded me that I wasn't alone. I had you. We were together. I'm sorry, Kakashi. I'm hating myself for leaving you. But don't think you're alone. My family at the least cares about you like a son. Yuki and Ryo are like brothers, and I'm sure you'll meet so many more. And I'll be watching you with Midori and Kazuma-sensei. We'll always be close to you, so don't think you're alone. Ever.

"This Sharingan," he said, slowly raising his right hand and placing it over his left eye. "I'll give it to you. I'm going to die, but I'll become your eye and from now on, I'll see future for you." Kakashi's eyes widened when Obito froze the eye and the area around it. "This way, your Chidori will become perfected. You can become much stronger. I'll be with you and watch your life. Live Kakashi. You have to keep living. Don't you dare die before you grow old and the name of Hatake is passed down into the next generation."

Obito looked up at Kakashi with his remaining one eye and a curious look seeped into his expression. He continued to lift his hand until he touched the mask covering Kakashi's lower face. Kakashi did nothing to protest, so Obito slowly pulled it down. His eyebrow lifted slightly when he saw the face he had wanted to see for all the years he had known Kakashi. Suddenly he chuckled quietly.

"What is it with you?" he asked casually. "You have a good looking face. You'll be able to grab some girls quickly if you'd only leave the mask off. Heh, I wasted time for all these years, imagining what sort of horrible face you had that you had to always keep hidden." He laughed again. "You have to loosen up a little, Kakashi. You should enjoy life more. Joke around, tease others, get drunk, have fun, Kakashi. You aren't alone. I'll be with you."

Obito coughed again, more roughly and his breathing became more laboured.

"Obito…" Kakashi muttered. He couldn't get anymore out from his constricted larynx.

"Kakashi, I'm glad I met you that day. I'm glad we stayed together for all these years. They were a lot of fun, and I have nothing I regret. You're my best friend and my brother. _A departure that is not a goodbye, a beginning that is not the end _(1). I read that somewhere years ago. Strange saying isn't it? Keep it in mind, Kakashi.

"Remember to transfer the Sharingan. They'll understand when they see the eye frozen. It won't melt until the eye is taken away. Another little Uchiha secret." He grinned and closed his eye, his breathing getting ragged and uneven. "Kakashi…I warned you once before, a few years ago…" He opened his eye with an effort, the smile never fading from his lips. His voice was no more than a faint whisper. "Don't ever…think you can get away from…me." His eye slowly drooped closed and a small sigh escaped his mouth. His body went limp in Kakashi's arms, and his head tilted against his friend's shoulder.

"Obito," Kakashi mumbled, leaning down closer to the peaceful, smiling face. "Obito…" He drew in a broken breath. _"OBITOOO!"_

"Well," Orochimaru said. "Are you finished saying goodbye, Kakashi-kun?"

Kakashi only half registered a twig snapping to his right, just within the trees and he recognised the girl, Yugao's presence. It didn't bother him that she had come without heading straight for the village. Part of his mind seemed to have been blocked. He couldn't think properly, but that didn't bother him either. Slowly, he laid Obito back down and undid the knot that tied his Konoha Hitai-ate. He rose to his feet, his head bowed and now free hair falling over his eyes, shadowing them. He tossed the Hitai-ate into the air, then threw a kunai into it. The weapon hit the tree behind which Yugao was standing with the unconscious Anko. She gasped, glancing questioningly at the hanging forehead protector.

Kakashi didn't face her, but directed his words to her. "Take that and head immediately back to the village," he said. "I won't betray Konoha. But I won't be a Konoha shinobi until I get back to the village and take that Hitai-ate. There's no need to speak of what happened here. Tell anyone and I will deal with you myself. Do I make myself clear?"

Yugao had no mind to object. His words were like ice; cold and demanding. "H…hai," she stammered.

"Then go."

She nodded and quickly took the Hitai-ate, pocketing it, then draped Anko's arm around her shoulder and leapt away immediately. Kakashi stood still for a few moments, gazing down at Obito's face. He felt something warm slide down his cheeks, then they fell and splashed onto Obito's face. _Tears?_ He had no recollection of how it felt like to cry, but at the moment, he didn't really care. He didn't stop the few tears that leaked out of his eyes and rolled silently down his face.

Kakashi turned gradually to face Orochimaru. His remaining four followers moved forward. Orochimaru smiled. "Such eyes full of cold hatred and fury, shedding tears," he breathed. "What a beautiful sight." Kakashi didn't hear him. He could only hear the blood beating in his ears. He only felt the uncontrollable rage and the need to tear at something, shed anything to shreds. Reason and logic had fled his mind. He couldn't think, he could only act, and that was exactly what he did.

He rushed forward at the four shinobi and ducked under a slashing kunai. With speed that made his movements blurred, he pushed off the ground with his left foot and collided his right knee into the first ninja's jaw with enough force that he felt the bone crack. He twisted his body to the left and met a punch with his right fist. As his right foot came back to the ground, he spun on in and snapped his left foot against the third shinobi's chest before his lifted kunai could do any harm. He jerked his head to the left to dodge the fourth's kunai that would have struck the back of his neck, and he grabbed the arm and flung the ninja over his shoulder into the second shinobi who had been halfway through with an arcing kick.

Kakashi dropped to the ground as both the first and third both swung a kunai at him from opposite sides. He kicked the feet out from the first shinobi and flicked a kunai of his own into his unprotected neck. Kakashi didn't stop the momentum and his foot rose in an arc towards the third. The shinobi blocked his kick with his left forearm, but Kakashi hooked his foot around the arm and lifted himself off the ground, coming up behind the shinobi. Without giving him time to react, Kakashi flung his left elbow down into his face. He stumbled forward and tried to reach behind him for his katana but found it no longer there. He had just enough time to roll onto his back before Kakashi plunged the blade through his heart.

He immediately leapt away from the corpse as a stream of fire blew towards him and he saw the second shinobi on his feet. Kakashi glanced to the left as he leapt over another blast of fire to find the fourth shinobi finishing a set of seals. A genjutsu. Kakashi felt it immediately, but his expression didn't change. His hands flicked through quick seals and after a few seconds, the ninja screamed in horror at the illusion he was suddenly plunged into. _Genjutsu Gaeshi._

Wires dropped around Kakashi's neck and tightened. He stiffened and ground his teeth together. The second shinobi pulled the wires tighter and Kakashi gagged.

"You're full of defenceless openings, Hatake Kakashi," he said with a smirk. "Die." He yanked the wires even tighter and Kakashi exploded into a puff of smoke. The ninja's eyes widened. "Kage Bunshin? When did he have such time?" he muttered disbelievingly.

"You die," Kakashi said from behind him. The shinobi spun around with a kunai in his hand, but there was no doubt that Kakashi's kunai would kill him first.

"Shall I implant Obito-kun's Sharingan into your eye, Kakashi-kun?"

Kakashi froze for half a second as Orochimaru's words penetrated his world of white rage. He ground his teeth together as his opponent's kunai plunged into his body, just below his right collar bone. Kakashi dropped his own weapon and flipped backwards to create some distance. He yanked out the kunai with a slight grimace and discarded it.

"It will be an easy task for me," Orochimaru said. "I won't kill you, don't worry. I just want to see if you will be able to use the Sharingan, that's all. I promise you. Besides, it was Obito-kun's will for you to have that eye."

The cold fury returned to Kakashi. How dare that Snake speak of Obito so lightly? Orochimaru killed Obito! His teeth clenched and his jaw tightened. His eyes narrowed dangerously and he glared at Orochimaru with pure hatred and disgust. His hands flicked through a set of seals and he grabbed his right wrist with his left hand. A Chidori soon flared in his right hand and the sound of a thousand chirping birds filled the clearing. A look of interest glowed in Orochimaru's thin eyes as he watched the technique.

Kakashi leapt forward as an almost invisible blur if not for the shimmering flare of blue chakra. The second ninja stood immobile before the technique that he had never before seen. Before he could fully register it, the Chidori had taken a chunk of his flesh from his torso and his inner organs spilled onto the ground.

Kakashi didn't stop. He continued to fly towards Orochimaru. He was smiling broadly with an expression not unlike a parent who was watching his firstborn son mastering his first Henge technique long before the other children could. Kakashi didn't pay any attention to it. He thrust the Chidori into Orochimaru, who turned into smoke. His eyes widened and he cursed softly to himself. _Behind_. He skidded to a stop, his feet digging somewhat into the ground, and spun around, the Chidori still active, but found no one there. Not an eye's blink later, something shot out from the ground at his feet and Kakashi violently coughed up blood.

Orochimaru grinned around his open mouth as droplets of blood splattered onto his face and on his tongue. From within his mouth was a snake and from its mouth was a long blade that pierced completely through Kakashi's midriff. The Chidori faded and his arms fell limp. A look of utter surprise was etched into his face. Orochimaru rose to his full height, stepping out of the hole in the ground and lifted Kakashi off his feet. He coughed out the blood that suddenly rose in his throat and he bit back the pained groan as he slid further down the sword until he reached the hilt. He struggled to breath and he closed his eyes against the pain.

"You don't need to worry, I made sure to avoid any place fatal," he heard Orochimaru saying. Kakashi tried to reach his holster for a kunai but his hand wouldn't move. He couldn't find the strength in any of his limbs or in his body. It was as if his strength was draining away with every drop of blood that seeped out of the wound. The blood trailed down his legs, soaking his clothes, and splashed against the green grass blades, painting them a deep crimson colour.

"You don't need to be shy about asking me to implant the Sharingan, Kakashi-kun," Orochimaru said. "I will do it whether you like it or not."

Abruptly, Orochimaru swung his head to the side and Kakashi hit the ground heavily, drawing in a ragged breath when the sword was pulled out from his body. He lay still on his side for a moment, his vision swimming. He clutched the open wound, just below his left ribcage and struggled to keep conscious.

"Orochimaru-sama!" Six shinobi landed in the clearing and looked around at the small battle field. "A girl was taking Anko back toward the village."

"That's fine, leave them," Orochimaru said. "Undo the genjutsu on Banjirou and stop Kakashi-kun's bleeding. We're taking him and the body of Uchiha Obito back with us. The rest of you clear up the mess."

"Hai!"

Kakashi was only barely aware of the bustling movements around him that followed. The solid white fog was slowly being lifted from his mind and he began to think again. Obito's death came before his eyes and the anger did not diminish. It intensified with every passing second, but he now had reason and logic once again. There was no point in struggling now; he wouldn't make it past a few staggers in his current condition. In a little while, though, he would be able to gather enough strength to last him a few seconds on his standard level of speed and power. He knew that after those seconds, his body would be rendered immobile and he would at the mercy of Orochimaru.

But he would still use those seconds to his full advantage. He wasn't a Jounin of Konoha Gakure at the moment. He didn't have to think about the village and its representation. He had no obligation to succeed in anything. He knew he was being selfish and he was disregarding all the rules and regulations of a loyal shinobi, but he didn't care. He would receive any punishment later. Now, he would allow himself to act solely on emotions. Now, he was not Hatake Kakashi, one of the youngest Jounin of Konoha, a student of the Fourth Hokage. Now, he was simply an individual spurred by a need for vengeance.

Kakashi hardly noticed when he was picked up and carried somewhere by the shinobi, led by Orochimaru. He was slipping into and out of consciousness, concentrating on collecting and saving his energy. He realised that nobody had taken his weapons and items away from him. After what could have been minutes or hours, Kakashi opened his eyes again and recognised the surroundings. It was the place where Anko had met Orochimaru, just by the cliff. They had come to a stop in the middle of the clearing and Orochimaru was performing a technique of some kind that he had never seen before.

"This place is…" he mumbled. His eyes widened when an opening suddenly appeared seemingly out of thin air. It was the shape of a large boulder with a wooden gateway without any doors. Above it were two identical snake-like patterns that faced each other.

Orochimaru chuckled. "You didn't see this before, did you? It is a very powerful illusion that protects my precious experiment lab. Not even the ANBU are skilled enough to see through and break this illusion. Very useful."

They descended the dimly lit staircase that led into the ground and the air became slightly warmer and damper. They came out into a fairly spacious hallway, with occasional smaller ones leading elsewhere to the left and right. Gradually the shinobi left Orochimaru, until there was only the one who held Kakashi and another who carried Obito's body. They continued down the hallway until they came to a closed, metal door, which Orochimaru opened. Kakashi lifted his eyes to look around the room. He wasn't all too surprised to see bodies of the missing Konoha shinobi hanging from the walls. There was a large table in the center of the room and behind that stood what looked like a thin shelf with many different bottles and beakers with various, colourful substances.

Kakashi was placed back on his feet and the ninja grabbed hold of his hair and pushed him toward the table. Kakashi closed his eyes for a moment and gathered his concentration. He purposefully stumbled and fell forward, causing his guard to grumble irritably and lean down a little to pull him back up. Kakashi's eyes snapped open and he curled his left arm around the shinobi's neck from the bottom so that he could take hold of his clothes on the right shoulder. He tensed and immediately tried to straighten, but Kakashi was quicker to swipe his left foot against the ninja's shins and he used the moment of unbalance to throw him over his shoulder and into the table. His right hand reached down for a kunai and he thrust it up into the betrayer's throat before he was thrown.

He didn't release the weapon, however, and it came loose from the man's flesh when he crashed against the table and smashed half of the glass bottles on the shelf. A bolt of pain erupted from the wound, but he paid it no attention. Kakashi's eyes were narrowed and held the same, cold, ruthless anger that they had displayed earlier. Without a second's hesitation, he spun around and brought the bloody kunai swiftly through the air towards Orochimaru's throat. The tip of the weapon froze just when it lightly touched his skin.

Kakashi retched and involuntarily coughed up blood. His body shuddered and his knees almost buckled under his weight that was suddenly too much for his legs. He didn't need to look to know that Orochimaru's hand was embedded into his open wound, which bled again freely.

"Oh dear," Orochimaru muttered with feigned concern. His voice held an amused tone. "That was the last of the anaesthesia that I had left."

Kakashi didn't hear the words clearly. He began to fall forward, overwhelmed by nausea and pain. When his eyes started to close, Obito's bloody, dying face filled his vision and he acted once again before stopping to think.

Snarling a curse, Kakashi took a step forward to stop his fall and slashed the kunai up again, creating a thin, harmless cut along the side of Orochimaru's neck. The next thing he knew was that the weapon had fallen out of his hand and his head roughly hit the foot of the table. His chest ached, hinting that he had been struck there, but that was irrelevant to him. He heard Orochimaru laughing in his sickening, sly voice.

"Interesting. You interest me very much, Kakashi-kun," he said.

Breathing heavily, Kakashi struggled to his hands and knees on shaking limbs and frantically protesting nerves. Nothing he looked at came into focus. Everything, even the plain floor was blurred and constantly shifting. He didn't even realise that someone was kneeling before him until he felt the hand on his shoulder. Kakashi tried to push it off, wanted to kill whoever it belonged to, but his body simply collapsed onto the floor.

"Stop it," said the shinobi who had been carrying Obito. He had already placed the body on the floor on the other side of the table.

"Shinrei, put him on the table," Orochimaru said, walking over to the shelf, although ignoring the shattered glasses his dead subordinate, and sorted through a few items that lay there.

"Hai," Shinrei replied, gathering the exhausted and bleeding boy on his arms. He had stopped struggling, although his eyes were still open and he was clearly still conscious. Shinrei placed him on the table and gazed at his dirty and bloody face for a moment. He reached out to his eyes to perhaps close them so that the boy could at least sleep through the transplantation and escape the further pain. But he stopped and quickly stepped away from the table. He briskly walked over to the door, closed it, and then stood silently and still beside it. He watched Orochimaru begin the operation by sliding a thick scalpel vertically down through the boy's left eye. It slit a good part of his left face and enabled Orochimaru to remove the old and implant the new eye from the optic nerve.

Shinrei stood by the door during the duration of the operation and was amazed to say the least. Such transplantation without anaesthesia would make even a full grown man scream in agony. Yet the boy made no sound louder than rough, uneven breaths. Although unbound, he didn't struggle in the least. He even fought off unconsciousness despite the pain until at last, Orochimaru finished. His master was satisfied. This could only mean that Uchiha Obito's Sharingan remained activated even when implanted in Hatake Kakashi's body.

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….

I actually had this chapter finished yesterday, but I was so reluctant to put it up…No, no, no, no, no….Waaaah! (sobs)…Obi-chaaan!

Translations:  
Genjutsu Gaeshi: Counter illusion…? Return illusion is the literal translation. Kakashi simply returned the illusion back onto the shinobi. Um…Itachi used it once against Kurenai.

(1) That saying is not my own. Just a little disclaimer. I read it in the manga, _Rurouni Kenshin_. It's my translation from Japanese, but it's not my saying.

**NefariousPhoenix:** lol, well, I guess this chapter explains a lot, about the future sequel too. I agree that things went quickly though. I didn't think everything so far in this arc would fit into two (well three if you include the intro) chapters…o.o. Thanks for reviewing!  
**Yannick:** Thanks for dropping a review! Oh really? Sublime Snake Hands…wow…thank you for the info! Meh, I don't have the episodes anymore so I can't check…-.-  
**HanaTenshiHimeko:** Well, it did say that Orochimaru had been using Anko. Didn't it? Or did my memory fail me…once again? Hope the update wasn't too slow! Thanks for your review!  
**Wyldcat:** lmao! That's true. No point in calling it a translation…Very nice idea about the Uchiha clan reactions! I'll fit it in, definitely. Thanks!

Kind of depressed now…

.LinSetsu.


	48. Chapter FortyEight

**Chapter Forty-Eight:**

Kakashi stirred to the sound of clinking metals but he was reluctant to open his eyes. Something was nagging on his mind, warning him that there would be something horrible awaiting him when he woke. Another part of him reasoned that he couldn't hide forever. He allowed himself to step closer to total consciousness and dull pain flooded his senses. He tried to open to his eyes but found that only the right would comply. The left was held closed by something dry and stiff. It took a few moments for his one eye to focus on the dim surroundings. Someone was standing under the single lamp in the room, working with something on the table. His eyes cleared. Orochimaru stood over a small body with metal scalpels and pinches.

Kakashi's remembered the events that had led to the present. The mission, Anko, Orochimaru, Obito and the Sharingan. It was a good guess that his left eye was closed due to the dried blood from the operation. It wasn't as if he had expected it to be neatly bandaged. He quickly took notice that he was tied to the wall with two cuffs around his wrists. His arms were out stretched as the cuffs were located a little above the level of his head, and his shoulders ached from having to bear the weight of his body and he was surprised that they hadn't yet been dislocated. He attempted to shifted his weight back onto his feet, but when he moved, the wound on his stomach gave a sharp bolt of pain. He grimaced and gave up trying.

"How do you feel, Kakashi-kun?"

Kakashi looked up to find Orochimaru turning away from the table and walking over to him with a thin smile. Kakashi narrowed his eye and made no reply. The smile broadened.

"I have a favour to ask of you," Orochimaru said, stopping in front of Kakashi. "I want to see how you deal with the Sharingan from now on. So I want you to come with me. In return I will give you power. What you do with it is not my concern, even if you try to kill me to avenge Obito-kun. I can give you everything I have. It shouldn't be such a bad deal for you. Come with me, Kakashi-kun."

Kakashi was silent for a brief moment, then he glared up at Orochimaru with defiance. "No," he said, his dry throat only allowing a quiet voice, but it held a clear, cold edge. "I will not betray Konoha."

"But you said it yourself; you are not a part of Konoha at the moment."

"I don't remember saying that I abandoned it. I will return to the village. I will not follow you seeking your power like the rest of the idiots here."

Orochimaru chuckled. "How do you intend to get away from here? These binds – " He touched one of them tenderly. " – cannot be destroyed by simply trying to melt them with chakra. I find it difficult to believe that you can return to Konoha. But don't be so rash about your decisions. Take the time to think about it. Your answer will be very important to me." He reached forward and cupped Kakashi's face with his left hand. "You don't hate me for implanting the Sharingan in your body,do you? After all, Obito-kun wanted you to have it. I did you both a favour, I think."

"Get your hand off me," Kakashi growled. Orochimaru chuckled and withdrew his hand. Still laughing quietly, he turned and walked out of the room, closing the door with a clang. Kakashi sighed softly and dropped his forlorn gaze to the floor.

"Obito," he whispered. The gaping hole in his heart could not possibly be ignored. He didn't really care that Orochimaru had implanted the eye. It might have even been better than having it done in the village. He didn't know how they would react to such a request, especially the Uchiha clan. But Orochimaru had killed Obito. The anger that rose in him at the simple fact was unbelievable. He wanted revenge. He needed to avenge Obito's death. But he wouldn't run to Orochimaru for that power.

Obito's grinning face loomed before his eyes and Kakashi's anger faded. Grief took its place and he hung his head, closing his eye. "I'm sorry," he mumbled. "I'm sorry Obito." For he knew, that it had really been his own fault that Obito had been killed. If only he had stayed behind with Obito instead of following Anko. Or if he had stayed instead of Obito. _It's my fault_.

He didn't realise when unconsciousness took over and plunged him into darkness.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

_Kakashi's hands, which were tightened into fists, were trembling. The sun had already disappeared over half way in the west, and cast long, dark shadows on the village of Konoha Gakure. Kakashi stood alone in the graveyard before a stone on which was written 'Hatake'. There were no lit incenses and no flowers like most other stones. Kakashi stood rigid and glaring up at the name with angry, narrow eyes. _

"_Stupid father," he muttered, turning abruptly and walking quickly away from the tomb, heading out of the graveyard. It had already been a couple months since the death of Hatake Sakumo, but Kakashi often came to the family stone and stood glaring at it. He would stay for around five minutes before hurriedly leaving again. Today was no exception. By the time he reached the flight of stone stairs, he was running and he jumped the steps three at a time almost silently. He reached the path leading back to the village and he continued to run swiftly and quietly along it. _

_There was suddenly the sound of fluttering twigs and Kakashi snapped his head to the left. He had just enough time to see something dark come crashing into him before he was knocked to the ground. The thing that had collided with him groaned and moved, and Kakashi realised that it was a young boy, about the same age as he was. _

"_Oow…" the boy groaned, sitting up and rubbing his forehead and adjusting his nearly rectangular goggles so they were over his eyes and not his nose. "Geez, what's up with you?" he snapped. "Can't you see I'm in a hurry? The least you could do was to get out of the way!" _

_Kakashi frowned. He was still in a bad mood so he was quick to bite back at the boy. "You're the one to talk," he shot back irritably. "You're the one who crashed into me." _

"_Get back here you little trouble maker!" shouted a voice from the distance._

_The boy grimaced. "Oh, shut up. I don't have time to be arguing." He leapt to his feet, grabbed Kakashi's arm and dragged him off the road and into the trees. In his other hand he held a thin book. _

_Once he got over the shock of being forcefully pulled into the trees, Kakashi stopped and yanked his arm free from the boy's grasp. "If this is _your_ stupid problem, don't get me involved in it!" he said. _

"_You already are so stop yapping on about it," the boy retorted. "Or are you one of those good, honest boys who do anything and everything to become the teacher's pet?" _

_Kakashi glared at him and he smirked. Without another word he leapt up onto the branches and Kakashi followed. They took a long route around to the training grounds that children were forbidden to be if they were not yet in the Academy. Kakashi had been there already with his father, and by the way the boy navigated through the grounds, he had apparently been there as well. They headed to the area where the trees and bushes were especially dense and finally settled in the low branches of a tree that was obscured from view on all sides by leaves and unusually tall, thick bushes. _

_The boy settled down comfortably against the tree trunk, bending his legs and setting the book on his lap. Kakashi stood a small distance away on the same branch with his hands stuck in his pockets and he watched with little interest at what the boy was doing. He pulled out a long, thick, dry piece of wood and propped it up between his knees. He deftly created a set of seals and inhaled a lungful of air. Bringing his thumb and forefinger to his mouth, he released a small stream of fire, setting the end of the wood into bright flames. He looked up from his work and grinned at Kakashi, who was taking more of an interest now. _

"_A Katon technique, the Goukakyuu no jutsu," he said. "Being able to perform it at this age means that you're from the Uchiha clan?" _

"_That's right. I'm Uchiha Obito. And who are you that you know about the Goukakyuu and can link it with our clan?" _

"_Kakashi," he replied. He hesitated a moment then added, "Hatake Kakashi." _

"_Hatake Kakashi?" Obito repeated. "So you're Hatake Sakumo's son? No wonder you knew so much. They say Sakumo-san was a great shinobi." He grinned, and if he noticed that Kakashi had drawn back a little at the mention of his father, he ignored it. "But never mind those things. Introductions are never interesting. Personally I don't care what people's backgrounds are." He seemed to wave away the matter. He crossed his legs and leaned forward, placing the book on the wide branch and opening it. He held the burning torch so that the contents were readable in the dark. He grinned again and beckoned Kakashi over. "Look at this. A Ninjutsu book. I found it in the Chuunin area in the library but they wouldn't let me read it in peace and quiet so I just took it out with me." _

"_Isn't that called thieving?" Kakashi asked dryly. _

"_Shut up," Obito grumbled. "I'm just _borrowing_ it! Hey, isn't this interesting? Mizu Shuriken no jutsu."_

"_You use chakra to control the water and form shurikens with it," Kakashi said. _

"_You can perform it?" Obito asked. _

"_If it's only two or three shuriken," Kakashi replied. _

"_Wow, that's cool." He was already flicking through the page and briefly skimming down the pages. "Ah, do you know this one? Katon Chiri Ame no En." Kakashi shook his head. "Me neither." He came to the last page and they both leaned closer to read the few lines that it held. Obito read it aloud. "_Konoha Gakure Hiden Taijutsu Ougi: Sennen Goroshi_…is permitted to be read and understood only by Jounin teachers. Explained in _Ninjutsu: Jounin Sensei_ by Nakamoto Makahi…" _

"_Taijutsu Ougi?" Kakashi muttered. _

"_What do you think it is?" Obito asked, looking up from the book. _

_Kakashi shrugged. "Why would it be in a Ninjutsu book if it's Taijutsu?" _

"_No idea," Obito sighed, then quickly smiled excitedly. "Then all we have to do is borrow this book that's written here and read about the technique." _

"_Ahem! Borrow _which_ book in _which_ restricted area, Obito?" _

_Obito jumped when he heard the voice from behind and before either of them could do anything, a man appeared beside Obito and snatched the book from him. _

"_Hey! I'm not finished with that book!" Obito shouted, jumping up to try and reclaim it, flame torch still in hand, but to no avail. _

"_I didn't even ask if you were finished with it or not," the man, clearly a classified ninja, snapped, flinging a fist onto Obito's head. _

"_Ow," Obito grumbled, nursing the growing bump with his free hand. _

"_Don't ever try and sneak away with another book that you shouldn't have, you little peanut." _

"_Who's a peanut?" Obito snarled. "And no, I'll read what I want to read! What's the fun in reading about Henge and Bunshin no jutsu when I know how to perform them!" _

"_Prove it then," the man said. "Transform into me, this handsome Fubuki." _

_Obito rolled his eyes and brought his hands together. What the man, Fubuki didn't seem to notice and Kakashi did, was that a sly, cocky smirk found its way into Obito's face just before he performed the technique. There was a small puff of cloud for a moment before Obito appeared, transformed perfectly into the shinobi he faced – except for one minor detail: the nose was a light shade of pink in the shape of a pink's nose. Fubuki's jaw dropped. _

"_Oink oink, I'm the handsome Fubuki," Obito said loudly. "I work day and night in the library, oink, and I got this nose from pressing it into so many books oink. Pleased to meet you oink." _

_A rather large, throbbing vein had appeared on Fubuki's temple and his twitching eyes were closed with barely contained fury. "O…bi…to…" he breathed. "You little good for nothing BRAT!" he screamed, his arms shooting towards Obito, who evaded the grasp and turned back into himself. _

"_If you were too concerned about your future nose, I guess you should know that the book's burning," Kakashi said, pointing at it. Fubuki shrieked, furiously trying to put out the flames that had come from the torch Obito had been holding._

"_OBITO!" Fubuki shouted. _

_Obito roared with laughter and grabbing Kakashi, he started a wild goose chase through the forests. Kakashi rolled his eyes and shook his head while he leapt alongside Obito. _

"_I'm starting at the Academy from next week," Obito said while they ran away from Fubuki. _

"_Same here," Kakashi replied shortly._

"_Then let's be friends, Kakashi," he said. Kakashi glanced at him with a slight frown. "You don't seem unreasonable, and you're a funny guy." _

"_No." _

"_Wha - ?" _

"_You _do_ seem unreasonable and you attract too much troublesome problems," Kakashi explained. _

"_I'm about the only one who can get books from areas we aren't allowed to read from," Obito pointed out. "You still don't want to?" Kakashi glowered at him but made no reply. "I take it as a yes?" After a long pause, Kakashi gave one, absolutely minimal nod. _

_Obito's eyes curled up into a smile and he laughed light heartedly. _

_Obito lay dying in his arms, his face dirty streaked with blood. His breathing was laboured and his mouth was working on a few faintly whispered words, his dying words, but a gentle, peaceful smile tugged at his lips. _

Kakashi snapped awake and found himself back in Orochimaru's experiment chamber, breathing relatively quicker than normal. He was immediately aware of a shinobi in front of him who hand his hand on Kakashi's forehead. He jerked back from the touch and winced when his wrists and shoulders gave a painful twinge from the sudden movement.

"Were you having a dream?" the shinobi asked quietly, drawing his hand back and kneeling on the floor beside a tray of food and water. "You suddenly began to panic and call out the name, Obito."

Kakashi narrowed his one clear eye and reinforced the wall of cold defiance. The shinobi straightened with a cup of water in his hands.

"Here," he said, bringing the cup to Kakashi's lips.

"I don't want it," Kakashi said. He wasn't hungry or thirsty.

"You should drink. It's been four days since you were brought here. Orochimaru-sama said you woke up three days ago, but you've been out cold since then. Even a ninja's body cannot go on without water for more than five days."

Kakashi turned his head away and made no response.

"Are you planning to die?"

"No," he replied without hesitation.

"Then how do you plan on getting out of here?" the man asked. A look of resentment flickered in Kakashi's single eye but he remained silent. The shinobi sighed and placed the water back down on the floor. "I'll help you get out of here."

Kakashi turning quickly back to the man, startled. Then suspicion rose and it instantly distinguished the look of surprise. "What are you up to?" he asked quietly the distrust evident in his voice.

"I want you to promise me one thing," the man replied. "Just think about escaping from Orochimaru for now and head straight back to the village. Inform Hokage-sama about what is happening and tell him about this place; about these betrayals."

Kakashi didn't miss the fact that he hadn't referred to Orochimaru in the honorific. "Who are you?" he asked.

"My name's Yamato Shinrei," he said. "My allegiance lies with Konoha Gakure until my death. I came out to investigate about whatOrochimaru was up to, and I've been waiting for someone who could return to the village and notify Sandaime about it. But everyone who is brought here is immediately killed. You're the first that Orochimaru has kept alive. Leave your vengeance for another time; inform the village of what is happening first."

Kakashi was silent for a moment, then he nodded. Shinrei allowed himself to smile slightly in relief before he immediately set to work. He reached up to both cuffs and placed his hands on them. His eyes grew distant with concentration and he remained still for almost a minute before the cuffs gave a small click and sprang open. The moment his legs received his weight, they buckled and Kakashi would have crumbled on the ground had Shinrei not caught him. He propped Kakashi up against the wall.

"You all right?" he asked. Kakashi nodded. His shoulders ached from the strain of his weight and the skin around his wrists was raw, but he quickly decided that he could ignore the discomfort. He gingerly lifted a hand and brushed it against the left side of his face to find it indeed covered in dried blood. The still recent vertical cut stung when he touched it so he left it alone.

"I suggest you don't use that eye until you've recovered completely," Shinrei said. "There's no way of guessing what will happen to you if you do." Kakashi nodded in agreement. "Your stomach wound is closed but just barely. The internal tissues and muscles are probably still torn, so the skin will break open easily if you do anything reckless."

"Where's Obito's body?" Kakashi asked.

Shinrei locked gazes with the boy for a short moment before answering the question. "It's in the room next to this one, to the right. It's a special room that Orochimaru uses when he wants to preserve a body," he said. "But it'll be a burden to take with you. You'll have a higher chance of getting away if you leave it – "

"I'm not leaving Obito here," Kakashi cut in sharply.

Shinrei was frowning slightly but he sighed. "Very well," he said, then picked up the cup of water again. "You've lost a lot of blood. You have to compensate it in some way."

Kakashi reluctantly took the clay cup, almost dropping it from his numb hand and took a sip. He gagged on it, the liquid unwilling to travel down his dry throat. But the second and third sip went easier and he was able to drink it all after a little while. Shinrei took back the cup and offered the bread but Kakashi refused it. He gathered his remaining strength and heaved himself to his feet, leaning against the wall for support.

"Wait," Shinrei said, getting to his feet and reached for something in his back pouch. He withdrew a small ball and extended it to Kakashi. "It's a soldier's pill. You don't have a chance of fighting off the shinobi in your current condition. It'll help."

Kakashi took it with mumbled thanks and swallowed it. The affects were immediate and his body started to feel much lighter. The dizziness faded and he felt the strength return to his limbs.

"Go now," Shinrei said. "Orochimaru is in his chambers and I can keep him occupied for a little while. There are in all eight Konoha betrayers in the facility without counting myself. They may be wondering the corridors so keep a sharp eye. You just need to go back along the main hallway and out into the clearing."

"What about you?" Kakashi asked.

Shinrei smiled a little sorrowfully. "I can't go back, even if I wanted to. I have a wife and a young son waiting in the village. If you could keep a lookout for them, I would appreciate it."

"Come back with me," Kakashi said.

Shinrei simply shook his head. "This is my mission. You should be able to understand what it means, Hatake Kakashi."

Kakashi nodded. Shinrei turned and walked over to the door. Opening it, he glanced outside, then turned his head back to Kakashi and nodded. He was about to walk out when Kakashi spoke again.

"Shinrei-san," he said hurriedly. Shinrei glanced at him. "Thank you." A brief look of surprise flickered in Shinrei's expression before he smiled. Without a word he disappeared beyond the door, which he left ajar. Kakashi quickly checked his remaining supplies and started to pull his mask back up but decided against it when he found it stiff from the blood it had soaked up. He left the support of the wall and walked carefully over to the door. His movements were a little jerky at first, but his muscles quickly got used to moving again.

With his hand hovering over his weapons holster, Kakashi drew up behind the door and peered out into the corridor. It was empty as far as he could see and he felt no nearby presences. He slipped out of the room and silently padded over to the next door to his right. He reached out to the handle, pressed it down and pushed the door open. Swiftly, he entered and closed the door again.

The room was cold and there was something in the air that made the hair stand on end at the back of his neck. It was dark and Kakashi had to stand still for a few moments before his eye could adjust to the dimness. He glanced around and found a few bodies lying on the ground near the walls. He finally spotted Obito on the far side of the room and he walked slowly over to the body. His injuries had apparently been stitched closed and his broken leg and arm were back in their regular positions. The blood had been wiped away from his skin and although there was a line down the left side of his face, the eyelid was cleanly closed and the ice had disappeared.

Kakashi stared blankly down into the peaceful, pale face of his friend. He dropped to his knees and reached out to brush his hand over Obito's. It was cold, but not stiff. He lifted his hand to Obito's face and pushed a few strands of hair away from his closed eyes.

"Obito," he mumbled, tracing his fingers down the vertical cut on his friend's face. Then he withdrew his hand and brought it to his own face, searching for the same wound and sliding his fingers over it. "Obito, let's go back. Let's go home. Back to Konoha."

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Well, another quick update. But I can tell you, school starts tomorrow and I'm going into the IB two year course so I may not be able to update too often. Although the first few weeks shouldn't be too bad.

Translations:

Mizu Shuriken: Water shuriken  
Katon Chiri Ame no En: (Fire) Ring of dust rain  
Konoha Gakure Hiden Taijutsu Ougi: Sennen Goroshi: Hidden Leaf Ancient Taijutsu Supreme Technique: A thousand years of pain (I'm sure a lot of you know what _this_ one.)

**Wyldcat:** Well, the next update was quick…? Lol. I think I've renewed my own hate for Orochi as well. Thank you. I'm glad you like/hate it. The quote was from…book 21, chapter 183, page115. "Wakare de wa naku tabidachi. Owari de wa naku hajimari." It _could_ also be translated as: Not a goodbye, but a departure. Not an end, but a beginning. Still, I like the other one better. A departure that is not a goodbye, a beginning that is not the end. (grins).  
**NefariousPhoenix:** Yeah, I didn't want to make it so much of an AU that affects the current manga/anime. The ideas for this story actually started when I thought that perhaps Obito was an Uchiha and the way Kakashi receives it is due to Obito dying during a mission (the reason he's on the hero stone in the training grounds). And also during the Chuunin Exam when Kakashi is dealing with Sasuke's cursed seal, he meets Orochimaru. And Orochi says things that hints he knew Kakashi when he was younger and not yet so skilled…And yeah...I had been planning this last arc for a year now. Anyways, I'm blabbing. Thanks for your review! Oh right…um…Orochi with med-nin powers…yes it would become like that. Since he _is_ experimenting with eternal life. But he wouldn't be skilled enough to perform a transplantation without physically harming the patient (Kakashi's scar).  
**Patty:** lol. Thanks. I'm glad the death scene wasn't too bad. Orochi didn't really accidentally kill Obito. If Obito hadn't told Kakashi that he would give him the Sharingan, Orochi would have probably just killed Kakashi and taken the eyes out before the Sharingan could be deactivated. So either way, he would have gotten what he wanted. His experiment was to see if the Sharingan could be used by a non Uchiha. Hope that clears things up.  
**HanaTenshiHimeko:** yep, trust me, I _will_ haunt the Snake. Muahaha. Yeah, Kakashi's going through trauma at the moment…Anyways, thanks for your review and I hope you liked the new chapter.  
**Audriel:** Don't worry about reviews being late, I'm glad you were still interested in the story. Yeah, true, Obito was tired, but more of a reason is probably that he was against Orochimaru whose intention was to kill Obito. Not even the anime/manga Kakashi was able to stand a chance against Orochi (no matter how much I hate to admit it). It was kind of strange writing a Kakashi who had lost control…'Neways, thanks for reviewing!  
**Katzuki:** Blah…I don't even want to start thinking about homework…I wonder if a sudden I could suddenly suffer from a high fever so I don't have to go back to school tomorrow. Hehe. Hope you enjoyed the update and thanks for dropping a review!  
**Yannick:** Thanks for the compliments! Yeah, the manga kind of disappointed me a little. Though I never expected Obito to be a dropout within the clan. Hope you enjoyed and continue to enjoy!

Thank you everyone!

.LinSetsu.


	49. Chapter FourtyNine

**Chapter Forty-Nine:**

Kakashi checked for any presences outside the door, then cautiously peered out. The corridor was deserted. He slipped out of the room and started to swiftly and quietly rundown the concrete hallway back towards the main exit. He carried Obito's body on his left, supporting it with his left arm. He had bound Obito's arms around the wrists with the bandages he had worn around his calves so that he could sling him over his neck. This left his right hand free for combat. He had gone through enough training with large, weighed bulks and it didn't bother him too much. He sprinted down the corridor, knowing that if he could get out of this facility, he would have a much higher chance of getting back to the village. He reached almost halfway to the exit when a voice cried out from an adjoining path from his left.

"Hey!" Kakashi didn't stop, and the shinobi immediately took up the chase. "The kid's got out! Block the entrance!"

Kakashi withdrew two kunai, and threw them behind him without looking back, one to either side of the hall. As soon as they touched the walls the talismans exploded, sending cracks through the cement and created two rough holes on either side. Water from the pipes splashed out, immediately spreading out over the floor and the pursuing ninja was hindered for a while. Kakashi took this moment to create some distance and hurried on, using chakra to run over the water when it became ankle deep.

There were loud voices from ahead and several shinobi rushed from the sides to block his way. Kakashi's pace didn't drop as they neared. "Get out of my way," he shouted, pulling out a kunai and holding it in his free hand. "I don't have any business with you scums." This seemed to anger them further, for they lunged at him almost as one. Kakashi dodged a few shurikens with ease and met the first shinobi's katana with the kunai. They clashed, but the force behind the kunai suddenly disappeared and the shinobi stumbled off his balance. Kakashi rose behind him and struck the back of his heel into the betrayer's turning face, cleanly breaking his nose.

He ducked under a pair of shuriken, which hit the bleeding shinobi in the shoulder. Kakashi rose swiftly and ran a shuriken along the next ninja's throat. Without dropping the momentum, he spun around and flung the weapon into the unprotected face of the last shinobi, one of the edges embedding itself into the right eye. Kakashi didn't wait to listen to the cries and moans of pain. He continued to run down the corridor, the water level still rising gradually.

The staircase came finally into view. At the same time, two shinobi rushed down the steps and one more came from a left corridor. Kakashi's left hand briefly left from supporting Obito's body and came together with his right, forming quick seals. He stopped running and slammed his right hand down onto the surface of the water. _Mizu Shuriken no jutsu_. A large amount of liquid weapons flew out from the water and sliced through the air. With precise accuracy, they were aimed towards the face and neck. Most of them were avoided, but a few still hit their marks. Two went down, one with a split nose and the other with his face cut open from the left edge of his mouth almost to his jaw line. The third got away from deep gashes along his forearms and a small wound to his forehead, but Kakashi got by him.

He leapt up the stairs, and he heard the sounds of close pursuit from behind. The small entrance glowed dimly in the distance and it grew gradually larger and larger until he was a few steps away from being outside. He was focusing so much on making his legs go faster and the shinobi from behind that he almost missed the presence he suddenly felt up ahead. He ducked to the left just in time to miss a volley of shuriken, one of them grazing the right cheek and another cutting him lightly along the side of his head.

Kakashi quickly pushed off the wall and missed a few balls of fire that created several dark burn marks along the concrete where he would have been standing. The shinobi stood at the top of the stair case, his chest already expanded to perform another katon technique. Kakashi bent his knees as he hit the opposite wall and propelled himself forward with a boost of chakra. Almost the second his foot left the wall, he appeared behind the shinobi, who looked dumbstruck, the chakra fading from his lungs, the technique unused.

"I can't control my abilities at the moment," Kakashi said quietly as he landed behind the ninja. "And I don't intend to, especially against you betrayers."

The shinobi spun around, but as he did so, the skin along his throat and around his chest burst open and he crumbled onto a heap on the ground. Kakashi grimaced as the wound opening gave a painful bolt of protest against the speed he had used. Without pausing, however, he ran for the tree line, intending to create some cover within the foliage and losing the remaining ninjas and Orochimaru. He hardly noticed that the first rays of the sun were being blocked by heavy clouds.

"Where are you going?"

Kakashi froze, feeling large presence directly in front of him. His hand went instinctively to his weapons holster, but he didn't have the time to pull out a kunai before several, long, thick snakes shot out and sank their fangs and heads into his body. He was hurled backwards from the sheer force and slammed into a tree on the other side of the clearing. A second, rather bigger flash of pain spread from his wound, and he coughed up the copper tasting blood that rose in his throat. He felt something warm spread around his midriff and he knew that the wound had reopened. To make things worse, he found himself bound against the tree with no means of escaping from the snakes that had bitten painfully right through both his shoulders, upper arms, just below his reopened injury, right thigh and left ankle. He bit down on the pained cry that threatened and somehow turned it into another racking cough.

His sight blurred and doubled, but he could faintly make out a figure moving slowly towards him. Orochimaru.

"You didn't have the time to avoid my pets, and yet you made sure that Obito-kun's body would not be harmed," he said. "What a tight friendship, Kakashi-kun."

"Orochimaru-sama, please forgive us!" came a few voices from the entrance of the lair. The few remaining shinobi had arrived.

Orochimaru seemed to ignore them and he stopped in front on Kakashi. He reached out and lightly hold his bloody chin between his thumb and forefinger, brushing the former along the lower lip. Kakashi narrowed his eye and glared at him, jerking his head back from the touch. He winced at the pain the movement created and his breathing was becoming laboured and ragged.

"I suppose this means that our negotiations will not be taking place?" Orochimaru inquired quietly. Kakashi said nothing, but his cold glare did not falter. "What a stubborn boy," the Snake breathed, then he stepped back with a sigh. "Well, it is a pity, but I will have you die. There are plenty of other Uchiha Sharingans to experiment with."

Orochimaru raised his right hand, parallel to the ground and pointed it at Kakashi's heart. "Good bye, Kakashi-kun."

A thin snake, no longer than an adult's forearm, shot out from Orochimaru's sleeve. With a blurring speed, it flew through the air, its mouth wide, the fangs fully bared and dripping with poison. Kakashi bit his lip to keep from crying out as he struggled against the living bonds that held him to the tree. Blood spurted from the wound openings as they grew larger, caused by the movements, staining the bark and the surroundings grass.

The small snake plunged into flesh, its venomous fangs sinking directly into the heart, seeping poison into the bloodstream. Then it tore through the rest of the chest, emerging on the other side and dropping, dead onto the floor.

Kakashi's eye widened in horror as he stared at a shinobi's back, blood flowing freely from the hole in his chest. Orochimaru narrowed his eyes in clear irritation.

"Shinrei," he hissed softly. "Although I knew you still had some loyalty towards the village, I personally didn't think you would go so far."

Shinrei's bloodied lips curled into a cold, humourless grin. "This boy behind me still has a few errands to run," he said. "I can't have him die so easily, Orochimaru." Then he chuckled in a raspy voice. "_Some_ loyalty? This Yamato Shinrei lives and dies for Konoha Gakure. Don't underestimate my loyalty towards Hokage-sama."

A racking cough shook his body and Shinrei fell forward, twisting as he did, so that he faced Kakashi as he landed on his side. "I'll leave…the rest to you, Hatake," he whispered through his foaming mouth. With a final, rattling breath, his eyes rolled up into his head and he fell limp.

"Shinrei-san!" Kakashi shouted. His teeth ground together in anger and his hands tightened into fists. He lowered his head a little and his hair fell before his eye, shading it from view. "Why?" he muttered, then his voice began to grow louder. "Why is it that I can't save anyone? Why is it that I can't protect anyone!" He pushed against the tree with his free, right foot, and slowly, he began to move forward, dragging himself forcefully through the snakes. He gritted his teeth as the last of their tails slipped through the wounds, then he darted forward with all of his remaining strength. "Why am I always the one left behind!"

"What a stupid question," Orochimaru said, raising his arm again. The boy had completely lost his head. He was charging straight on without thought, just with pure speed. A second, short snake flew out from his sleeve and penetrated through Kakashi's chest. As it dropped to the ground, Kakashi's body exploded in a cloud of smoke and was replaced by a piece of log with a clean hole through it. _Kawarimi?_ Orochimaru spun around and slipped between a rain of weapons. As he was about to take another step to the right, he stopped and leapt away in the opposite direction, a second before an exploding talisman went off, wrenching a layer of earth away from the ground. A series of consecutive blasts occurred, sending debris into the air and tearing apart the earth.

Kakashi landed behind Orochimaru in the dusty air, and he looked up from the seals his hand had created. _Katon Chiri Ame no En_. The dust particles and soil gathered together and were ignited in flames. They rained down on Orochimaru, causing a larger explosion to shake the ground and raise further debris.

Kakashi leapt away from the large ring of smoke and fire and landed at the side of the clearing. His right hand clutched his open wound and he struggled to keep his breathing even. He staggered and fell down onto one knee, and looked up to see the crate that the attack had caused. The flames still glowed around the ring, and the ground was churned and blackened. But his eye widened when he realised that there was no presence within the smoke and fire.

"The reason why you can't protect anyone, or why you're always left alone is simple."

Kakashi spun around, and had just enough time to glimpse Orochimaru through his blurred vision before he felt a large force crash against his chest. He was lifted from the ground and thrown backwards. He felt a few of his ribs crack under the impact and he sharply coughed up blood as the splintered bones pressed against his lungs. He landed with a quickly stifled cry on the ground, and he rolled over a few times before he finally came to a stop. He found himself on his front, wheezing against the short grass that brushed against his bloody face. Obito's body was still held on his left, and a metre or so to the right was the edge of the cliff. Kakashi turned his head to his left with an effort and looked into Obito's sleeping face. Beyond it, he noticed a pair of feet coming to a stop.

Orochimaru pushed his foot under the boy's body and turned him over, along with the Uchiha corpse. Kakashi coughed again and though he tried to get back to his feet, he found no remaining strength in any part of his body. The most he could manage was to tip his head away and avoid looking up at the snake with his vulnerable, clouded eye.

"That reason," Orochimaru continued, "is because you are simply too weak. Too weak to protect even yourself, not to mention your friends. Weakness is a horrible thing, isn't it, Kakashi-kun?"

He turned away and walked away from the boy. The shinobi came forward. "What shall we do with him?" they asked. Orochimaru continued to walk past them and didn't turn around as he replied.

"Push him over the edge," he said off handedly. "He won't have the strength or will to save himself."

"But he knows everything that's going on," one of them argued.

"He's only barely alive as he is. He isn't worth killing with our hands. Even if he does get back up, he'll die on the way back to the village. Or," he said, glancing at them over his shoulder and narrowing his eyes, "are you going to disagree with me?"

"Of course not, Orochimaru-sama!" they said hurriedly and swiftly went over to where Kakashi lay. He took no notice of them as he gazed, half blindly at Obito's face.

_Weakness? Yes, I'm weak. I knew too little to do anything about my father taking his own life. I was too slow to save Midori. I was too afraid to stop Kazuma-sensei. And now, I was too stupid and too late to save you, Obito. I was even too weak to avenge you. It's all my fault. If only I had been stronger, you wouldn't have had to die. We could have stayed together for years to come. Because I was so weak and ignorant about everything but the success of the mission. _

Kakashi distantly felt himself being shoved over the edge and he air rushed against him. He fell, and he watched the dark abyss, to which there was no end. Yet his single open eye held nothing but a void, blank look.

_I'm tired of struggling, Obito. I don't care anymore. If I die, then I'll be with you again. With everyone. I wouldn't have to worry about anything anymore. Can't I die? Can't I rest now?_ Kakashi slowly closed his eye shut and he immediately felt his consciousness slip. Death.

_Live Kakashi! _

His eye snapped back open and he instinctively reached out to grab the side of the rocky cliff. Obito's voice still echoed in his mind, commanding his limbs to move. He winced as he continued to slide down for a few moments before the chakra radiating from his right hand managed to get a firm hold on the rocks. He hung for a moment, his breathing still coming as shallow wheezes, but the mist had cleared from his eye. Kakashi glanced at his friend's face and a weak, humourless grin tugged his lips.

"You won't let me die so easily, will you?" he whispered. Then he looked up at the thin streak of light above. He brought his feet onto the rocks as well and he began the slow, pain staking crawl up the cliff wall.

Kakashi lost the sense of time as he gradually pulled himself closer to the top of the cliff. The line of light from above grew darker and not soon after, the rain began to fall, making it increasingly more difficult for him to climb. All his wounds were still open and the blood continued to seep out from them. The bandages that tied Obito's wrists ripped once and Kakashi skidded a few metres back down in order not to lose his friend's body. As his feet managed to stick back onto the slippery rocks, his torso roughly hit the wall, and he coughed out a mouthful of blood. He hung upside down for a few moments as he regained his ragged breath, his right hand wrapped tightly around Obito's wrist. He continued the rest of the climb with one hand, the other securely holding Obito.

As the rain finally ended, Kakashi heaved himself over onto flat land and dragged Obito up beside him. He collapsed onto the ground and lay there, panting. He had made sure to work in a diagonal line up so that he could avoid ascending back into Orochimaru's hands. Glancing up from the ground, he found himself in the middle of large trees and many thick bushes. A thick, damp fog had settled over the surroundings, which limited the sight to a few metres, but he thought that it would be better. He lay his head back onto the wet grass and soil and closed his eye. He could feel unconsciousness and the black, painless world hovering around him, ready to close in the moment he dropped his will. Kakashi opened his eye again.

With an effort, he pushed himself upright. The ground was already stained with his blood. He sighed softly, knowing fully well that he would be at a severe disadvantage if Orochimaru's dogs found his tracks. Then again, there was little he could do. He winced as he ran a hand down his upper body, grazing the ragged bones along his ribcage. Gathering his strength, he heaved himself onto his feet, lifting Obito's body up as well. He swayed for a moment, and he quickly reached out for a tree trunk to support himself and avoid collapsing. He leaned his back against it and suppressed the urge to succumb to the pain that stabbed through his entire body. He clenched his jaws tight and controlled his wheezing breath. He slung Obito's right arm around his neck and held the wrist with his right hand. Looking up, Kakashi pushed away from the tree and began the journey that to Konoha.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Yes, I'm an inconsistent updater. Lol. School started, and I'm having one hell of a bad time trying to get my way through the homework, watch the Gokusen drama and write this fic. I've actually written most of this at school (where I currently am), before classes or during lunch. Anyways, sorry for the lateness and the slight brutality in this chapter.

**NefariousPhoenix:** lol. Yep, you were first. But it's not too big a deal who's first. Thanks for reviewing nonetheless though! I go to the Zurich International School in Switzerland, the far off country that's only known for the alps… Oh but wait, maybe the whole rain and (mini) flood issue got onto the news somehow. Rained heavily for like three/four days straight…  
**Alana:** wow…loooong review. I love long reviews! (hugs tightly) Thanks a whole, big bunch! Yay! Someone noticed ickle Iruka! I've never actually seen Hunter x Hunter…Might as well, but I better not get attached during school. . Meh, sorry for the lateness. I didn't think they'd give us so much homework on the first week of school. I spent at least four hours on math alone…(okay, fine, I did leave it to the last minute, but still!) Anyways, thanks again for the lovely review! It was a nice surprise to see it that long, and I enjoyed reading it! Hope you enjoyed.  
**HanaTenshiHimeko**: hehe. Thank youz! No, Shinrei didn't make it…I'll be sure to include his family sometime in the sequel though (pays respects). Anyways, hope you liked the chapter.  
**Leilani:** YAY! You're back! I was worried since you didn't review for a while. (grins) I thought something had happened. But I'm glad you're fine. I understand that you're busy. I am too…(cries) Thanks for dropping a review!  
**Patty:** Thanks for reviewing! Mmm…poor Shinrei…Well, at least he died heroically…I'm hating Orochimaru at the moment, and I'm having a hard time writing about him…  
**Wyldcat:** Chapter 57? I'll have a look at that. I loved the whole RK though. Great manga. Anime was kind of lacking, but still good. Orochimaru had better get that whacking in the near future in the manga/anime. Thanks for the review!  
**Katzuki**: You know the IB program? I'm in 11th grade this year. I was doing 10th last year. I'm glad you're liking the updates! (grins) Thanks for reviewing!  
**Audriel:** Well, my updates _were _delayed when school started. The last few updates were done on the last days of my summer holidays. Yeah, I love Samurai Deeper Kyo. I saw the anime first a year or so ago, then I'm recently reading the manga. Thanks for your continued support!  
**Littleadryan:** No problem, I understand computer problems. They're such a pain, especially when they happen so suddenly. I liked the manga version of Kakashi Gaiden, but it kind of fell short of my expectations…(I shouldn't criticise…) Anyways, thanks for reviewing, and I'm glad you're enjoying it!

Wow. Lots of reviews! I'm having such a hard time now. I really, really want to write the next chapters, but I can't seem to the find the time to…(cries) So I keep thinking about it during class, then the teacher suddenly asks me a question and I have _no_ idea what he/she's talking about…Oh well… Life's difficult…(sigh)

Anyways, thanks to everyone who's reading alone! I may ask a quick favour of you sometime in the next few chapters. Please be a little attentive!

Bye bye for now.

.LinSetsu.


	50. Chapter Fifty

**Chapter Fifty: **

Night had settled over the village of Konoha Gakure; although, the transition from day to night had only been a few subtle changes. Low clouds had been suspended low to the ground during the early morning, and by midmorning it had already begun to rain. Just after noon, the rain had stopped, only to be replaced by a dense, humid fog that lasted almost until dusk. The sky remained hidden above stubborn clouds that refused to drift away. The day had been cold, and the temperature dropped even further as the night came in. The mist began to slowly reappear after the small pause, but it was different from the deep fog during the day. The mist now was wetter, almost like a very light drizzle. It made it even colder than before.

The gates of Konoha were all closed, and a more than average number of shinobi were on constant guard across the village. Tension among the people and the ninjas had increased to a point that it was nearly tangible. The citizens acted normally, going about their usual business, but they moved stiffly, and spoke only in small voices. The Hokage had raised security measures to a point that all four main gates were guarded with at least four Chuunin, a Jounin and two ANBU. But only few of the shinobi knew the real reason to their leader's uneasiness.

Four day ago, the girl, Mitarashi Anko had been brought directly to the Third by another young girl by the name of Uzuki Yugao. The Hokage had eased the cursed seal that had burned on Anko and she remained unconscious even now. Yugao had refused to talk about anything when asked. Although she insisted that she knew of nothing, the Hokage and the shinobi present at her questioning could tell that she was clearly hiding something. Yet the Third had not pressed her, and asked only to know whether Obito and Kakashi had been with them. Slowly, and most reluctantly after long moments of hesitation, Yugao had nodded once.

Two Chuunin stood at the front of the Eastern Gate and stared out at the small road flanked by the trees. Although their sight could see little beyond a dozen odd metres, their others senses stretched out and searched the surroundings. It was rounding on nine o'clock when one of them stirred and looked around.

"What's wrong?" the other, a young woman asked.

"Did you hear something?" he asked. "Something like a dull thump."

She frowned and shook her head.

"I heard it too," said a voice from behind. They turned around to see a shinobi approaching them.

"Akira-san," they muttered together. The Jounin sensei came to stand beside the two and scanned the surroundings. Slowly, a small frown appeared on his face and he suddenly glanced down. The upper part of the gate couldn't be seen due to the slight overhang that the watch bridge created, but there was something at the base of it. His eyes narrowed. Not something, someone.

"Miyako, go get the ANBU," he said sharply. "He should be sleeping beside the left walkway. Make it quick."

"Hai," responded the kunoichi, and she immediately left. As soon as he finished giving the order, Akira leapt down and the other Chuunin quickly followed. They landed softly on the wet ground and approached the figure. Their eyes widened abruptly when they got a proper look.

"Ano, ano! Please wake up!"

Yuki opened his eyes to look up at the Chuunin that was on the same guard duty. He sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes under his ANBU mask.

"What's wrong?" he asked while yawning, his voice unable to hide the lack of interest. It couldn't be anything all too serious. Although he had indeed been sleeping, he had kept a sharp lookout for anything, and he hadn't felt anything unusual, not even a curious Genin walking around.

"Akira-san told me to get you as quickly as possible," she explained.

"Akira?" Yuki muttered, then sighed and got to his feet. "That idiot. Is it _really_ something he can't handle on his own?"

"There's something or someone at the gate," she said.

At this, Yuki looked at her sharply, which made her almost jump. He frowned and strode over quickly towards the edge. He leapt over the small wall and landed silently on the ground. The other Chuunin and Akira were close to the gate, and he could make out something beyond them. Akira turned around when he saw the ANBU and quickly stepped away. The Chuunin did likewise and Yuki walked a few steps forward. Then he froze, his eyes widening in shock.

"Hata…ke?" he mumbled. He tore off his mask and tossed it to the side while rushing forward the rest of the way to the bleeding boy. "Oi! Hatake! Obi – " The name faded from his lips as his hand brushed his relative's arm. It was cold and the skin felt clammy. He knew immediately from his experience on the battle fields that he was already dead. "Obito…" Kakashi stirred, sliding a little further down the gate and leaving red smears on the wood. Yuki's attention immediately went over to him.

Kakashi was a mess. Yuki wouldn't have been able to recognise him, especially without his mask if it hadn't been for the tattered Jounin vest and his silver hair, that hung wet and low over his eyes. His face was barely visible under the dried blood that was especially caked over his left eye and cheek. His sleeves and trousers were ripped in many places with various cuts and bruises. There were two wounds below his right ribcage that he suspected penetrated the width of his body. There were other wounds on his shoulders, elbows, thigh and ankles that still bled freely. His breathing was irregular and wheezing and his body temperature was far below any normal standards. Even now as he leaned against the gate, the grass at his feet was painted red and the gate itself was stained where he had touched it. He looked barely consciousness. No wonder Yuki hadn't felt his presence approaching. No one would have been able to feel a presence so weak. It was a wonder that he was still alive.

"Hatake!" Yuki reached out to lightly take hold of the boy's upper arms. He was shocked when Kakashi's knees buckled and he fell forward with a heaving cough that brought out mouthfuls of blood. Yuki immediately caught him as he fell and lowered him slowly to the ground. His shallow breathing quickened and it triggered a coughing fit, the blood spurting from his mouth. Yuki gritted his teeth and quickly looked over him. Then he glanced at the three others who were looking on helplessly.

"Alert the hospital," Yuki barked. "Tell them to prepare for emergency procedures. These wounds are life threatening! Akira, stay here. You two get going."

"Hai," they replied, and leapt back over the high walls, disappearing over it. Kakashi stirred in Yuki's arm, which brought the ANBU's attention back to him.

"Hatake, hang on. We'll get you to the hospital right away – " Yuki paused when he saw Kakashi's lips moving. "Don't talk now. Just save your energy."

"…sama…Ho…kage-sama. Get…Hokage-sama…Hokage…sama…" Another violent cough shook his body and his face grimaced, a silent cry slipping past his parted lips. "Hoka..ge…sama."

"Hatake!" Yuki said sharply. "Shut it! Just keep quiet! Akira, take Obito. I need to bring him to the hospital."

Akira moved forward and began to lift the body away, when he suddenly felt a resisting force. Surprised, he looked down to see Kakashi clutching Obito's wrist. Akira tugged a little more forcefully, but the grip only tightened further. He glanced uncertainly at Yuki, who returned the look

Yuki reached out to pry Kakashi's fingers loose, but they wouldn't move. "Hatake," he said quietly. "Let go of him. It's too late. There's nothing you can do. Obito's…Obito is already dead, Hatake. He's gone. Obito's dead. I know it's hard for you. You brought him all the way back here. But he's not here anymore. Hatake, let go of him."

After a little while, Kakashi's grip slowly loosened until his fingers slipped away from the wrist and his hand fell down. His glazed eye moved to Yuki, but the ANBU doubted that he saw anything. But his eyes widened when he saw beads of small tears roll slowly down his blood stained face. Yuki roughly bit the inside of his mouth and his hands balled into fists. He gently lifted Kakashi up, and just then, the gates slid open.

"What's happened? What's wrong?" An ANBU ran to meet them with a few other shinobi on his tail. He looked up in surprise when he saw his unmasked colleague. "Yuki?" Then his eyes fell on the boy he held and the other that Akira carried. "What…"

"Are the medics coming?" Yuki asked.

"We went ahead," the ANBU replied. "They should be here any moment now."

Yuki nodded, then continued walking, the gathered ninja automatically making a way for him. He ignored the ANBU's calls as he leapt up onto the roof tops, moving as smoothly as he could. The tears had ceased after a few droplets and now Kakashi was whispering repeatedly for the Hokage. Although Yuki tried to keep him silent, he wouldn't listen.

"Yuki-san!" Around half a dozen medical ninjas came alongside Yuki as they leapt from roof to roof. "There's little we can do here," one of them explained while he quickly scanned over Kakashi's condition. "He shouldn't be moved much. If you wouldn't mind, please carry him the rest of the way."

Yuki nodded and continued with the medics flanking him. Villagers looked up with curiosity and anxiety at what was going on.

"Yuki…san." He looked down to see Kakashi a little more focused and conscious. "Please take me to Hokage-sama. I need to see him." Though his voice was weak, the words were no longer slurred. It was a good sign.

"I'll bring him later," Yuki said. "We're going to the hospital first."

"I have to see him," Kakashi whispered. "I have to report to him...about Orochimaru."

"You're life is more important than that," Yuki snapped dangerously. Kakashi's eye widened a little, then he looked away.

"Please let me down," Kakashi said quietly.

"No," Yuki replied without a pause.

Kakashi closed his eye after a moment and slowly extended his arm. "I'm sorry," he mumbled, and spread his hand open. It revealed a small gun powder ball that exploded in the air the moment it left his hand. Kakashi gathered his strength and used the moment to push away from Yuki. There were several shouts from within the thick cloud that had appeared, but he ignored them. He landed on a slanting rooftop and rolled down it, unable to control the speed. He gritted his teeth when he felt the solid tiles disappear and attempted to get his feet under him before he landed, but his limbs wouldn't listen. The impact of landing on the street send bolts of white pain through his body, and it almost triggered the natural instinct to close off the mind from the agony. He coughed up blood as the broken ribs ground against his lung with each wheezing breath. He rolled onto his side and struggled to keep his swimming mind conscious. He couldn't lose it now. He had promises to keep.

"Hatake!" Yuki landed beside Kakashi with an expression of mixed fury and horror. He swore loudly. "What the _bloody_ hell do you think you're doing!"

The medics landed one by one around the two, swiftly heading over to where Kakashi lay, and the others keeping away a group of villagers who had heard the blast and commotion. Kakashi pushed himself up onto his hands and knees, his arms trembling from the effort.

"Don't, Hatake!" Yuki said, reaching out to stop him, but he hesitated. He feared that if he did anything too rough it would cause too much pain for him.

"Hatake, you're going to die if you keep going," a medic warned, stepping closer and placing a hand lightly on his back. "Let us bring you to the hospital. You need immediate treatment. Hokage-sama will – "

"I can allow my life to be threatened," Kakashi said hoarsely between gasps of breath, "if it will save the village. I need to see…Sandaime." With a spurt of blood from his wound under his ribs, Kakashi rose unsteadily to his feet. He grimaced and couldn't push down the rush of blood and acid that rose in his throat. He coughed it out and almost fell back down. His vision swam, blurred and darkness nibbling at the edges of his sight.

"Stop it, Hatake!" Yuki shouted, unable to control the slight shake in his voice. "I'm not going to let you die as well! I can't – "

"Kakashi." Everyone's attention turned to the new voice that was calm, yet slightly stiff and missing the usual casualness. Kakashi slowly looked up from the teetering ground and made out the robed figure that was approaching quickly.

"Hokage-sama," Yuki mumbled, and the name continued to be muttered among the gathered crowd.

The Sandaime stopped in front of Kakashi and he placed his hand on a little less bloody area of the boy's left arm. A pained and guilty expression rose in his face. "Kakashi," he said. "Whatever you have to say can surely wait. It _will_ wait until you are treated. This is an order."

He glanced over his shoulder and nodded to a small group of elite medics who immediately came forward with a stretcher, which they had brought on orders from their leader. They set it down and quickly examined Kakashi's condition by eye. Then one of them turned to the rest of the normal medics.

"Go back to the hospital and tell them to prepare the operation room," he said quickly while the others tried to ease Kakashi onto the stretcher. "Also have blood of the type O ready to be connected as soon as we come back. Go!" They leapt away without a word, and the medic turned back to his task. His face turned into a look of shock when he saw that the boy was refusing.

"Then I will disobey the order," he was saying. "Orochimaru…Orochimaru is the one responsible for the disappearances. Anko was deceived. He's using the bodies of the missing shinobi for experiments – " He broke off as he coughed up further blood and dropped to his knees.

"Give him a small dose sedative," the medic barked out. "We can't lose time here."

Kakashi hardly felt the needle in the side of his neck. The darkness closed in on his conscience and his vision was narrowed down to a few, thin strands between the black veils. Still he fought against the wave of unconsciousness.

"His lair…is in sector 6-4…a clearing beside the canyon…south east from here….hidden…by a…powerful…genjutsu…"

As Kakashi's words trailed away, his eye finally closed and his head slumped back against the stretcher. Yuki started, fearing that he had died, but the leading medic reassured him that the sedative had only taken affect. They left immediately, bearing the stretcher with experienced ease and smoothness. Yuki stared after it with mixed emotions welling up in his chest.

"Yuki." He turned to the Third, who was speaking to him, but he was staring at the top of the roof where the medics had disappeared from their sight.

"Yes?" Yuki asked, when the Third didn't continue after a few moments.

"Look after Kakashi and stay with him," Sarutobi said. His eyes dropped down momentarily to meet Yuki's gaze, then he turned away with a slight flutter of his robe. "I will be back by dawn."

Yuki's mouth was slightly open, but whatever he had intended to say froze in his throat. The Hokage's voice had turned severely cold and shuttered. A quiet "Hai," was all he could manage to say. Sarutobi strode quickly down the street and disappeared when he reached the first shadow on the ground.

Yuki quickly collected himself again and leapt away in the direction of the hospital, leaving the crowd to disperse on its own, with another rumour to spread like wildfire through the village. He arrived at the hospital in time to see Kakashi being rolled into the operation room with a nutrient and blood sac already hanging on the side stands and dripping into his body through thin needles injected along his forearms. Then the medics and the nurses disappeared beyond the doors and sign above it glowed red. Yuki stared at the sign for a while, then sat down on the bench at the side of the corridor. He rested his elbows on his knees and hung his head down, realising that his uniform was still stained with Kakashi's blood, but not caring. His hands clenched tightly together and he waited.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Kakashi couldn't feel anything. Nor could he hear anything. His mind did not even register the rapid rise and fall of his chest or the discomfort of an oxygen mask covering his nose and mouth, which fogged each time he exhaled. He saw nothing for a moment, then slowly, his eyes opened to be met by a blinding light. Still, his eyes did not shut, and he had no control of anything. He didn't know if it was both his eyes or only his one original. Had he had a fully conscious mind, he would have doubted that he saw. But at the moment, he just looked.

Medics hovered over him, exchanging surgery tools and muttering to each other, but he took no notice of them. His eyes trailed to the right and he saw Midori and Kazuma standing there. When his gaze shifted to the left, he saw Obito leaning close to him. They all wore concerned expressions and their lips moved from time to time. He couldn't hear them with his ears, but their voices echoed in his head.

"They're almost finished, Kakashi," Kazuma was saying. "Don't give up now."

"Kakashi, hang in there!" Midori said, then attempted a cocky grin. "You really messed with the wrong person, didn't you?"

"Don't you dare think of dying," Obito said. "Don't live in the past, look up and walk to the future. You don't need to worry, Kakashi, we'll always be here by your side. I'll also be with you forever. It's not your turn to come over to this side yet. Remember that, Kakashi."

As his eyes drooped shut again and his conscience faded into the darkness, he thought he felt a warmth over his left hand.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

I said it before, let me say it again: I'm a _very_ inconsistent writer. Quite a dark chapter once again. I know it's a little change from the usual Kakashi we're used to seeing, but I'm sure he isn't always laid back, especially when he's on the verge of dying and also bearing mental wounds. Anyways…  
Oh by the way, does anyone know how I can actually keep the question mark and exclamaition mark together? It's been bothering me for so long now, and I still don't know how to get it to work...

Translation:  
Ano: Um...(kind of like that.)

**Leilani:** Yep, I look forward to writing his encounter with the Uchiha clan as well. It'll come soon. Glad you're fine, and thanks for reviewing!  
**HanaTenshiHimeko**: Sorry…I know there are a lot of deaths…but it shapes Kakashi to being who he is in the current manga/anime…extremely sorry. I hate it myself. Lol. Obito haunting Kakashi. I can't seem to leave Obito alone though, as you could probably tell in this chapter…Anyways, thanks for the review!  
**NefariousPhoenix:** Yeah, the IB isn't too big in the US. And I've been reading about that hurricane as well. Hope no one you know was involved in it. Sorry about the rushed feeling. I don't always feel too comfortable writing when people pass behind you and the person beside you keeps looking at your screen. x . x Thanks for dropping a review!  
**Wyldcat:** Thank you! I'm glad you're like my version so much! (is very happy). I checked RK chapter 57. It's when Kenshin leave Kaoru to go to Kyoto isn't it? That chapter made me sad…Yeah, school's alright. I'm sure I'll pull through…eventually. Lol.  
**Alana:** Thanks for your review and compliments! Yes, the next chapter will definitely have some more encounters with other villagers (ie: Uchiha clan). Yep, I'm lately happiest when I'm writing or when I have some free time to think about my stories. I'll definitely go into Hunter x Hunter when I get the time. Hope you enjoyed the update!  
**Katzuki:** Thank you! I'm glad you liked it, and I hope you liked this last one too. Well, our school offers the IB or the AP. I think they're both quite hard, but IB requires a more wide area of knowledge/skills. Unlike the AP, which allows you to pick out subjects that you're interested in or good at. In that sense, I guess the IB is kind of hard, but it's not too bad. Hehe, there is no way I'm letting school get me down. (grins)  
**Audriel:** wow. I got a good number of long reviews for the last chapter. Me likes it a lot! Nope, Kakashi manages to make it to the village! (how much blood can one lose before he dies of blood loss anyways? O.o Oh well, I'll explain things in the next chapter somewhere. Oh, it's a big no no if I try and do homework and hobby stuff on the computer. The hw always gets put off until later, which eventually becomes like midnight. Arg. But the paper and paragraph during some free time seems like a good idea. I'll try it if I get the chance. Thanks for the tip and the review!

As usual, thank you to everyone else who is reading!

.LinSetsu.


	51. Chapter FiftyOne

**Chapter Fifty-One:**

Yuki looked up sharply when the doors to the operation room swung open and he immediately stood up. It was well past midnight and the medics all looked weary and relieved. This calmed Yuki a little and his tense shoulder muscles eased when he saw Kakashi on the portable bed, being rolled out of the room and down the corridor. Yuki was about to follow them when the lead medic walked over to him with a clipboard tucked under his arm.

"Are you in charge of him?" he asked.

Yuki nodded. "Uchiha Yuki," he offered.

"My name is Kyou," The medic said, a little distractedly. He pulled forth the clipboard and looked at it gravely. He glanced up at Yuki once, then he turned his attention back to the scribbled notes that were written.

"He nearly died," Kyou said bluntly. "Judging from the amount of blood he had lost, he should have already been dead hours before he reached the village. We found four broken ribs that had been rubbed so much against the lungs that the tissues had almost completely ripped. Both his shoulders were pierced, and his left shoulder blade was cracked open by something circular. We found almost identical wounds on both his upper arms, fortunately not having broken any of the bones. There were two more, one through his right thigh and the other, diagonally through his left ankle. On his stomach were two holes that went right through him. One was thin, and we assume it to be some sort of sword. The second, just below the first, was once again the circular shape. Both of them had missed any vital organs. He suffers from severe dehydration and lack of natural nutrients, but we have detected the lingering affects of a soldier's pill."

Yuki frowned at this. "A soldier's pill?" he repeated.

Kyou nodded. "It is probably thanks to the pill that Hatake didn't die from blood loss or simple exhaustion and gave him the strength to come back all the way here from sector 6-4 due south east, if I heard him correctly."

"Will he be all right?" Yuki asked.

"Yes," Kyou replied. "The worst part is certainly over, although he was once on the very verge of dying while we were treating him. A nurse mentioned to me just now that during those few minutes, Hatake had opened his eyes." He shook his head, clearly not believing the nurse. Then he went on. "There shouldn't be anything life threatening anymore, but he should stay still and allow his body to heal. The anesthesia will keep him unconscious for another day or so."

Yuki sighed quietly and dropped back onto the bench, his mind exhausted from worrying. Kyou, however, looked a little uneasy when he lowered his notes and glanced at the ANBU.

"There's one last thing you should know of," he said slowly. Yuki looked up with a questioning raise of a brow. Kyou turned his head right and left quickly, as if afraid of someone being there. "It's Hatake's left eye...It's a Sharingan."

Yuki was on his feet the second Kyou finished pronouncing the last letter. His face expressed pure and utter shock along with a slight disbelief. "Sharin…gan?" he breathed. Kyou nodded once.

"I don't know where he got it, or who transplanted it, but when we cleaned the blood over his left eye there was a thick vertical cut that hadn't quite healed yet. We checked the eye since we feared that such a gash would have destroyed it, and we found the Sharingan, safe and whole."

Yuki mind was already running and he managed to control the shock that still burned within him. There was only one possible answer as to how Kakashi had gotten the eye. Although it didn't answer the question of who was responsible for transplanting it…Yuki tensed for a moment as he remembered that Kakashi had been saying about Orochimaru and his experiments. His eyes narrowed.

"Orochimaru," he whispered. Kyou looked at him questioningly, but he didn't pause to explain it. His guess could well be wrong in any case. "I want you to keep Uchiha Obito's body untouched for a little while longer. And could you do me a favour and call Odagiri Ryo?"

"Of course," Kyou replied. "I'll send ou a messenger."

Yuki nodded. "Thanks," he said, then paused for a moment and then added, "for saving Hatake as well."

Kyou shook his head once. "That is why I became a medical ninja."

He told Yuki which room Kakashi had been moved to, and they parted. As Yuki walked down the empty corridors, he closed his eyes and brought his slightly cool hand up to his forehead. It took all of his training as a shinobi and an ANBU to prevent his mind from shutting down against the things that he didn't want to know or believe. He walked on with slow steps.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Kakashi sat alone in the dark chasms of his mind. The sense of time eluded him and so he simply continued to stare out at the darkness. He remembered exactly what had happened and he wondered whether he had actually died or if he was simply somewhere else. A small part of his mind knew that this wasn't Death, based on the simple reason that Obito hadn't come and given him hell yet. But a larger part of him didn't want to be alive. He had told the Hokage about where Orochimaru was hiding, and so kept his promise with Shinrei.

He remembered seeing Kazuma, Midori and Obito and what they had said. Obito's words lingered in his mind. Obito telling him not to die, to live on and face the future. But he didn't want to. It was his simple selfishness. Ever since his father had killed himself and he had started to attend the Academy, he had followed the rules and regulations of the shinobi. He had always made his own emotions and desires second to his loyalty to serve the village and the Hokage. But now felt different. It _was_ different. Obito wasn't there anymore.

Kakashi raised his hands and covered his eyes. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and tried to forget. He tried to close off his mind, he tried to make it sleep, he tried to run away from his conscience. But he couldn't.

_Live Kakashi!_ Obito's voice echoed loudly and Kakashi gritted his teeth together, his fingers tensing.

"How?" he whispered despairingly.

"You breath in, you breath out. Breath in, breath out."

Kakashi's eyes snapped open and his hand fell instantly back down. He spun around with wide eyes to come face to face with Obito. His hands began to tremble very slightly, but other than that, he stood frozen, shocked and disbelieving.

Obito cracked a grin then burst out laughing. "What's with that stupid look on your face?" he mocked between fits of laughter that brought tears to his eyes. "I wish I had a camera. It'll sell so well!"

"Obito," Kakashi mumbled. He was so stunned that he hardly even registered what Obito had just said. "But you're…"

Obito's face grew serious and he locked gazes with Kakashi. "Yes, I'm dead," he said.

"Then how…?"

A slight trace of anger flickered in Obito's eyes. "One is probably because we share the same eye. The other, is because you're so close to dying again."

This came as a surprise to Kakashi. "Dying?"

"Yeah," Obito said. He stepped forward and quickly seized a fistful of Kakashi's shirt by the collar and pulled him aggressively closer. His eyes, now clearly displaying anger, narrowed. "Because you've given up on the will to live, Kakashi." Kakashi turned his eyes down into the darkness at his feet and didn't bother trying to get our of Obito's grasp. He knew that what his friend said was true – he didn't have any will to live. He simply didn't want to.

"You could have woken up days ago but you've trapped your conscience in this dimension of your mind," Obito said. "You're just running away from everything!" He shoved Kakashi away but didn't release the angry glare. When he spoke again, his voice was quieter, and more demanding. "What are you so afraid of?"

Kakashi stood silently for a moment, avoiding Obito's eyes. "It's my fault that you died," he said in a faint whisper. "It's my fault! How can I live from now on knowing that you died because of me?"

Obito's fist connected sharply against his face and he was hurled off his feet. He landed on the black ground but made no effort to rise.

"It wasn't your fault," Obito said. "So stop blaming yourself for it. That's why I told you to look up and keep walking. Don't dwell on the past. I was just one individual in your life. You can get over – "

"You're – !" Kakashi turned around to face Obito with his teeth clenched together and a somewhat pained expression on his face. "You were more than a mere individual, Obito! I lived to reach my father's back, and then I lived to surpass him when he killed himself. But since the day I met you, you were the reason I lived for! It was always you who was at my side! And now…you're not there anymore. What reason do I have to live for?"

Obito stooped down and grabbed Kakashi by his shirt once again, dragging him up onto his knees. "Listen up, Kakashi! Can't you hear them? Can't you hear their voices?"

Kakashi blinked and a slight frown creased his brow. All he could hear was silence. He began to open his mouth to question what Obito was saying when faintly, he heard something. Gradually it became louder and louder until he could make out the words and recognise the voices.

"Izumi-sama, such a subject can wait for the while being," Yuki was saying. "He is has not yet regained his consciousness."

"This is not a matter that can wait for long, Masayuki," said a deep voice that Kakashi didn't recognise. "In all the history of the Uchiha clan there has never been such a case as this. It must be solved quickly."

"Izumi-sama," a soft female voice said, and Kakashi knew it as Obito's mother. "It can at least wait until Kakashi-kun is feeling better, can it not? Please."

The male, apparently called Izumi sighed gruffly and footsteps faded into the distance.

"Natsumi-san," Yuki muttered.

"I thought I would come and change and the flowers," she said. "Nayu received a mission this morning, so she could not come, I'm afraid." There were quiet sounds of dripping water and clinks of a vase being lifted and put down. Then a silence followed. Natsumi sighed. "Poor child," she whispered. "You don't have to lock yourself up. We're here for you."

The sounds faded away until the unbroken silence of his black world returned. Kakashi turned his eyes back to Obito, who had released him, but his friend held up his hand to stop any remarks or questions. Distant sounds began to again penetrate the silence and Kakashi listened once again.

"He still hasn't woken up?" It was Ryo's voice.

"No," Yuki replied. "The medics are trying everything they can, but he's so far away at the moment. His body's health is declining every hour. They say he's locked his conscience up somewhere deep in his mind."

"I see."

"How was the funeral?"

"How am I to answer such a question?" Ryo asked back. "Izumi-sama attended it, along with his younger brother, Fugaku-sama. The Elders were there, and obviously Obito's family. Hokage-sama also came. There were many others. I apologised for your absence on your behalf."

"Thank you, Ryo."

There was a slightly pause. "You should sleep a little," Ryo said. "I'll keep watch over Hatake."

"I'm fine," Yuki replied. "I've been sleeping once in a while so don't worry about me. But what about your missions? I thought you had one starting right after the funeral."

"Oh I turned it down."

"What?"

"I refused it."

"That's forbidden to do if I remember the rules correctly. Those orders are passed down to us directly from the Hokage."

"I seem to have been excused," Ryo said absently.

"You have no right to tell me off about things _I_ do," Yuki mumbled dryly.

The silence returned, but almost immediately afterwards, the sounds returned. There was only the light flutter of curtains being blown by a breeze, and then Yuki spoke quietly.

"Come back, Hatake," he said. "Everyone's waiting."

Then the silence blocked everything out once again. Obito walked slowly toward Kakashi and knelt beside him. The glare had softened from his eyes and he no longer looked very angry. His voice no longer showed any aggression.

"There are people waiting for you," he said. "There are people who care for you, Kakashi. Go back to them. They're calling you. They're the reason you can live for. And if that's not enough, live to teach the youngsters what Kazuma-sensei taught us. Teach them about the importance of team work and the necessity to trust one another. It's our responsibility to guide the next generation of shinobi. Stand up and walk forward." Obito looked up and pointed his hand to the side where a stream of light had penetrated the darkness. "Go back to where you belong."

Kakashi glanced at the light, then back at his friend. Slowly, he nodded and began to rise. Obito straightened with him and gave him a light push on the back. He grinned and beckoned to the light again. Kakashi took a step forward then hesitated.

"And you?" he asked.

The grin didn't fade from Obito's face. "I'll always be right here. I'll stay with you, don't worry. I'm a part of you. But I don't want to see you here until you've lived a long life! Got it?"

Kakashi looked as if he wanted to say something against it, but he dropped his gaze and simply nodded once. He looked back at Obito and opened his mouth to give an apology, but Obito spoke first.

"Don't say anything," he said. "Just go back. Don't worry."

Obito's smile was soft and reassuring. It held all the comfort that everyone sought at least once in their life. Kakashi felt his uncertainly ease as he stared back at his one true friend. A small, ghost of a smile flickered in his eyes as he turned around again walked forward. He found that his steps were no longer hesitant, and his heart no longer afraid to face the world without Obito.

"Arigatou, Kakashi."

Kakashi looked back when he heard Obito's voice, but his friend was no longer standing there. He felt a sudden pull from behind, and the dark world faded from his vision.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Kakashi opened his eye and found everything blurred. He felt warm and all the pain had eased from his body. He waited patiently for his eye to adjust, and things slowly came back into focus. It was dark, and the only light came from the distant moon beyond the window that illuminated the night with a faint silver glow. His single, uncovered right eye moved slowly from the window, across the roof, and toward the door of the private room. He recognised it immediately as the hospital. There were sacs of liquid that hung on a tall stand that dripped into a thin tube and eventually into his body through a needle in his left arm.

He found his left arm free and he slowly raised it over his face. It was heavily bandages, but the movement only cause a slightly prick of pain. He placed his hand over his left eye and felt bandages over it as well. He also noticed with slight surprise that his lower face was covered with a mask.

The room was empty. He used his right arm to push himself upright, and he winced as small twinges of pain spread from his shoulder and stomach but sat up and waited for it to ease away. He sighed and a small frown creased his forehead. _What made me come back?_ he wondered. He remembered that he didn't want to wake up, and he had trapped himself in his mind. _What happened after that?_ He couldn't remember. All he remembered was an echoing thank you. Strangely though, he didn't feel too bad about waking up.

"A dream, maybe," he mumbled to himself

Just then the door rolled open, casting a thin stream of light from the corridor onto the dark floor. Kakashi turned with his eye slightly squinted to the figure that stood silhouetted in the doorway. The person froze and a can drink clattered on the floor, its contents spilling out.

"Hatake!" he breathed.

The door slid shut on its own and Kakashi turned his head to see who it was. He recognised the voice, and as the blindingly bright light disappeared, his predictions were proved correct.

"Yuki-san," he said quietly.

Yuki strode quickly over to the bed, the drink forgotten. "Hatake…you…You're awake," he mumbled lamely.

Kakashi almost rolled his eyes. "No, I'm in coma and I'm speaking to you," he said with dripping sarcasm.

"That's not funny, you know," Yuki responded, finally gathering his shocked mind together. "You've been out for a week. The medics were nearly giving up on you."

"Sorry for causing the trouble," Kakashi said.

Yuki grinned. "It's not a problem." Then he became serious again and looked searchingly in Kakashi's visible eye. The sight of Kakashi shedding tears in front of the gate came to his mind. "Are you…all right?" he asked hesitantly.

Kakashi's eye looked away from Yuki's gaze, but he nodded.

Yuki sighed softly. "There are things that I want to ask you, but it can wait until the morning. You should rest a little."

"You can ask now," Kakashi replied. "I don't care."

"But – "

"It's about the Sharingan, isn't it?"

Yuki gave up trying to postpone the discussion. He brought over a chair and sat down, leaning forward on his knees. He then nodded. "Ryo checked Obito's body for me," he said, keeping an eye on Kakashi for any reaction that might indicate that he didn't want to hear Obito mentioned. But Kakashi merely listened. "The left part of his face had been cut and the eye removed. The medic who treated you told me that you had the Sharigan eye. When I asked him later, he confirmed a similar gash on your face."

Kakashi remained silent for a moment, his eye on the opposite wall. He didn't speak for so long that Yuki was about to suggest that he sleep a little, when he finally broke the silence. He began from the beginning of the mission and told Yuki what had happened in a quiet, monotone voice.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

I'm sorry. I just couldn't stop writing about Obito…But this will be the last (unless there are flashbacks). I know it doesn't do good to keep bringing up characters that are gone, and it certainly isn't a good literature method (or whatever) and now the passing of Obito is kind of anti climatic, but please forgive! I couldn't help it.

I'm going away from next Tuesday to Friday on a class trip (groans. I hate them) to Barcelona, Spain. So the next update will be a little delayed.

Translations:  
Arigatou: (I think everyone who watches anime knows this, but still…) Thank you.

And I was just informed me that I can't respond of reviews…? Really? I tried to search for that new rule, or any rule concerning review responses but I can't find any…Anyways, I'll just answer the questions that were asked…Yes, Kakashi is going to the Uchiha manor…No, Kakashi did not have his mask on…Unfortunately, I will not go into the Sarutobi/Orochimaru encounter…It does make me sad when I kill of any character, but I'm too busy trying to write it that the grieving only comes afterwards…

Thank you to everyone who read and especially to those who reviewed! (Spiral Wheel, glad to see a new face (name…whatever)! ) Geez, I hate generalising all of you as 'everyone'… All the reviews make me so happy! Thanks for your support and compliments!

_Nakama_ Final Chapter is coming up. Kakashi confronts the Uchiha clan.

.LinSetsu.


	52. Chapter FiftyTwo

Author's Note: This is the final chapter of _Nakama_. Do you remember me saying that I'll ask you all a little favour a few chapters back? Well here it is:

Could **_EVERYONE _**who is reading (whether that be skimming the story, reading but not reviewing, or reading and reviewing. Simply everyone who is following this fanfic) please drop a review at the end of this chapter? I can be a quick hello or just one word. I don't care. I just really want to see how many people were actually reading along. Please? Thank you so much!

**Chapter Fifty-Two: **

Kakashi stood at the entrance gate that led into the Uchiha clan district. The Uchiha symbol was drawn on two lines of cloth that hung at the top of the gateway. He stared up at the two identical symbols with one distant eye. The other was still covered with bandages. It had been almost two weeks since he had woken up, and although the nurse had informed him that he could leave the hospital a day ago if he really insisted on it, he had stayed another night and had left in the morning.

A lot had happened in the days he had spent in the hospital. Yuki had come a lot and spent a good few hours each visit. He had returned to doing his job, but when he received a mission, they were always accomplished in a day. They hadn't talked a lot and Yuki didn't mock him like he used to, but he would simply sit casually by the window. Kakashi hadn't minded. The silence had always been somewhat comforting. During one of these visits, Yuki had told him that Obito's body had been cremated and his bones lay in the Uchiha graveyard.

Kakashi explained the events of the mission three times. The first had been to Yuki. The second was when the Hokage had visited him. He told Sarutobi about Mitarashi Anko being innocent and also about Yamato Shinrei's loyalty. When he was finished, Sarutobi had been silent for a while, and then went on to explain that he had failed to capture Orochimaru, though he was now officially marked as a Missing-nin of Konoha.

"Thank you, Kakashi," he had said when he was about to take his leave, "for many things. And I am sorry."

Obito's family also came, and Kakashi told them about Obito's death. They had the right to know the whole story. He felt that it had been the most difficult to talk to them. Fortunately, Yuki had been there as well. The family had listened in silence while he spoke.

"I'm sorry," he had said after a pause when he had finished. He was looking at his hands and didn't notice their looks of surprise. "I couldn't protect Obito. I couldn't do anything to prevent it. It was my fault – "

The words were stopped by Natsumi, Obito's mother, as she stooped down and embraced him tightly.

"There's no reason for you to apologise," she had said. "It wasn't your fault. I'm glad you came back alive. Obito would be as well. And thank you for bringing him back here."

Kakashi had glanced questioningly at Nayu, Obito's sister who was still in her ANBU uniform, and then at their father, who were both smiling softly. Natsumi didn't release Kakashi for a long time, and he had felt drops of silent tears on his back.

After that first visit, Natsumi had come on a regular basis, always bringing a different flower each time and reorganising them in the vase that stood on a table in the room. Nayu was often busy with missions, as was her father, but they dropped by quickly once in a while to say a quick hello. Ryo also came between his work, most often with Yuki, but sometimes alone. Kakashi had been quite surprised at the amount of visits he had, but slowly, Obito's dying words about Yuki, Ryo and his family came back to him.

Kakashi himself had spent most of the day awake, despite the nurse's warnings that he should get plenty of rest. He had sat up against the head rest and stared silently out of the window. On the day that the nurse had told him he could leave if he wanted to, Yuki had come with a message from his clan that they wished to meet with him.

"I heard from the nurse that you said you'd stay another night," Yuki had said. "I can persuade them to postpone the meeting to next week if you want to rest at home for a little while."

"No, I'll see them tomorrow," Kakashi had replied. Yuki seemed to have wanted to say something else, but he briefed Kakashi on the members of the Elders and the clan head instead.

The days had grown increasingly colder during the time Kakashi had spent in the hospital. The wind blew sharply against his casual clothes and loose hair. He had yet to see Yugao, who he assumed still had his hitai-ate, but he didn't think too much about it. He didn't wear his Jounin vest, nor did he have any of his weapons or tools. His left arm was held in a sling to keep the weight off his cracked shoulder blade. The cuts and bruises that he had received while trying to climb up the cliff had all healed cleanly But the other wounds had pierced completely through his body, and though the medics had sewed together most of the internal tissues, they were still fragile and the muscles had to be rebuilt together with gradual rehabilitation. They had quite often stressed the warnings for him not to do anything rash and to do the rehabilitation _gradually_. They had even gone as far as to send the Hokage a request to excuse him from missions for another month.

Kakashi tipped his head back to stare up at the sky. Clear, sunny days had become rare, and now the clouds were gathered, thick and heavy, looming close to the earth. He sighed, and his warm breath created a fully visible sheet of white vapour just beyond his mask. There was a likely chance that it would snow if the clouds broke free. A little early, being the last week of November, but not unthinkable. Kakashi turned his attention back to the gate and walked on.

Most of the Uchiha dwellings were old, traditional houses, most often with the clan symbol drawn on the entrance or on the brick walls that encompassed the building. The main street was mostly empty, as all able shinobi were working and the children were at the Academy. He passed three or four people on his way to the appointed meeting hall, and they all paused to cast him interested glances while trying not to be too obvious about it. He guessed that the rumours had spread quite quickly, despite all efforts to try and keep it quiet. He didn't really care and he walked on without showing any reactions to their stares.

He walked, unhurriedly down the main street, then turned a corner to the right and was faced with the Uchiha Meeting Hall. It was slightly different from living houses. The pavement street abruptly ended, and to both sides were spread small stones and pebbles. It seemed to mark the territory that the Hall claimed. over the pebbled ground, square marble tiles were lined, creating a narrow path that led to the entrance of the building. On the roof above the entrance was an enlarged Uchiha symbol. Kakashi walked on, and mounted the three wide stone steps. The fourth, he stopped and slipped off his shoes, lining them along with the many others that were already there. Then he stepped up onto the polished wooden floor and stared at the mahogany door that stood before him. To its left and right stood two Uchiha shinobi, silent and looking at Kakashi.

Kakashi did not spare them a glance, and continued to look at the door. He said nothing, and waited for them to make a move. The two guards stirred and exchanged uneasy glances. Then they reached out to the door and slowly slid it open to either side. They turned toward the people gathered in the spacious room beyond and dropped to their knees, bowing their heads down.

"Enter, Hatake Kakashi," said a man who sat at the far end of the room. His voice was deep and heavy, and although he did not show any signs of hostility, he did not pretend to be friendly. Kakashi walked into the Hall and heard the doors being closed again. Without turning his head, or even moving his eye, he saw that to his left sat two rows of shinobi in ANBU uniforms with their masks placed on the floor beside them. He could guess their numbers as around twenty, and he knew that they were probably only the high ranking Uchiha ANBU. To the right were three rows of ordinary Uchiha shinobi, all with vests, which indicated that they were Chuunin or Jounin. The latter, most likely.

At the top end of the Hall sat seven elderly looking shinobi dressed in long robes and sitting on thin mats. They were parted with three to the left and four to the right. In the middle, sitting slightly in front of the row of Elders was an early middle aged man with black hair hanging loosely around his face. He wore the normal shinobi attire along with the vest, and on the sleeve of his left upper arm was the Uchiha symbol within a four cornered star. Kakashi recognised him from the descriptions Yuki had given him as Uchiha Fugaku. He was the younger brother of the clan head, and worked at the Headquarters of Konoha's Police Force. As additional information, which was rather unnecessary, Yuki had told him that his first son, Itachi was starting at the Ninja Academy in the spring, and his second son, Sasuke had been born in the summer. In front of Fugaku and slightly to the left sat another man cross-legged with his arms folded over his chest. He looked a few years older than Fugaku, and Kakashi automatically assumed him to be Izumi, the leader of the Uchiha Clan. It had been Izumi who had told him to come inside.

Kakashi stopped before the single square mat placed in the center of the room and he sat down on his heels. His single eye never broke the contact with Izumi's gaze. It would have been seen as a sign of defiance, but Kakashi's eye held no such emotion or intention. Silence fell and no one moved. Kakashi recognised Yuki's presence in the front row to his left, quite close to where he sat. He felt Nayu closer to the door, and her father in the front row to his right.

"First and foremost," Izumi began suddenly, "I would like to thank you for bringing Obito's body back to Konoha. He was an excellent shinobi and the Uchiha clan was proud of his accomplishments. Graduating the Academy at the age of six, becoming a Chuunin at eight, mastering the Sharingan at ten and reaching even the Jounin level at eleven. He was a shinobi that we could shamelessly call an Uchiha elite. His death was honourable, and his name is etched onto the Memorial Stone. Yet he left you something that has caused great unrest in us clan members, has he not?"

Kakashi made no response and gave no reaction either. Izumi closed his eyes for a moment, then they snapped open to reveal full, three tailed Sharingan eyes. Kakashi didn't flinch against the stare of those red pupils and sat still, maintaining his silence. A few of the shinobi in the back row to his right stirred uneasy, but the others remained motionless. Finally Izumi allowed the Sharingan to fade from his eyes and he sighed almost inaudibly.

"The chakra gathering and movement within your left eye indeed belongs to a Sharingan," he said. "Tell us exactly how you received it."

"This is Obito's eye," Kakashi replied after only a small pause. "He gave it to me before he died and Orochimaru transplanted it."

Izumi's eyes narrowed slightly. "And you allowed Orochimaru to do this?"

"It was neither against my will nor Obito's."

"Orochimaru killed Obito. Nevertheless, you allowed the person who killed your close comrade to do the transplantation?"

"It did not matter to me who did it or how it was done," Kakashi said.

"Have you used the eye?" Izumi asked.

"No."

"What do you intend to do with it?"

It was one of the questions that he had often thought about during his time at the hospital. "I intend to master it," he replied. There were some movements as the gathered shinobi exchanged quick glances and a few of the Elders conversed quietly amongst themselves.

"A foolish way of thinking," Izumi said, instantly silencing all murmurs and halting all movements. His eyes had hardened. "The Sharingan is a special trait even amongst the Uchiha. It takes our blood to control and master the eye. It is for that reason that the Sharingan was passed onto our Clan, and not any other. It is impossible for you to use that eye."

"It hasn't been tried yet," Kakashi said quietly, with the first hint of defiance in his voice. It did not go unnoticed.

"Do not be a fool," snapped a kunoichi in the Jounin ranks. "Izumi-sama has said that it is impossible. Are you implying that he is telling a lie?" Fugaku glanced sharply at the woman to silence her, but the murmur was already rising.

"There is no reason that this boy should keep the eye," another spoke up.

"It is for his own sake!"

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Nayu suddenly growled, the first ANBU to even stir since the beginning of the meeting. "Take the eye back out and stick in a fake eye ball?"

"What else can be done?" the first kunoichi responded. "That Sharingan does not belong to him!"

"If it does not belong to him, then who does it belong to?" Nayu challenged.

"Nayu," the ANBU sitting beside her said sharply, and she closed her mouth, but the Jounin and Chuunin rows continued to debate.

"It belongs to the Clan," several people replied at once. Nayu narrowed her eyes but kept quite.

"Silence!" Izumi barked and everyone abruptly shut their mouths. Kakashi hadn't moved since the outbreak, and though Izumi had directed his word to those gathered, he hadn't broken his end of the connection either. "What they say is true," he continued. "The Sharingan requires a great amount of chakra to be used. We Uchiha have that in our blood. You do not. That left eye will only drain you of your chakra while releasing only a mere fraction of its potential. It will not make you any stronger."

"I do not intend to rely upon this eye to make me stronger," Kakashi replied. "It was simply Obito's wish that I take his eye."

"So you will use it, even if it leads to your death?"

Kakashi nodded. "Yes."

"Young one," said a male Elder with a sigh. "The problem lays in you simply having that eye. Izumi is trying to persuade you kindly to leave behind the Sharingan, but if you protest so much, we will have to say it bluntly. The Clan cannot have a shinobi of non Uchiha blood running around with a Sharingan."

The old woman sitting next to him nodded her head grimly several times. "It is unthinkable for you to have it," she said. "It will hurt the pride and honour of our Clan."

"It is a moral problem," added yet another Elder, who looked to be the oldest of the seven. "It goes against all rules of the Uchiha. Never before in all my long years has such a case appeared. I am sorry, but you may not keep the Sharingan eye."

Kakashi said nothing to this and simply continued to stare at the Clan Head.

"The choice has already been made," Izumi said after a few moments of relative quiet. "This questioning has not changed our decision."

There were consenting nods and approving mutterings, but Nayu made a move to rise to her feet. She would have, had it not been for the ANBU beside her who quickly grabbed her wrist. She paid him no attention, however.

"But Izumi-sama!" she protested. "It was Obito's will for Kakashi to have his eye!"

"We do not have any such proof," said Fugaku.

"You are moved by your emotions, Nayu," said the head Elder gently. "It is understandable. You have just lost your brother, but you must not allow those emotions to control you."

"My words are not affected by my brother's death, Outa-sama," Nayu said. "I – "

"Remember your place, Nayu," Izumi said. She looked like she was on the verge of protesting further, and she glanced searchingly at Kakashi, but found the boy still staring silently at the clan head. She reluctantly bit down on her words and sat back down on the floor.

"Hai," she whispered, her eyes on the polished wood and her clenched hands. Silence reigned once again and it filled the room for long moments. Nayu glanced up the row from the corner of her eyes at Yuki. She was half tempted to get up again and shout at him. Why wasn't he doing anything? She knew that he was close to Kakashi. Was he planning to just sit there and do nothing while the Elders took the eye away from Kakashi against his will? Yuki had hardly even moved a finger since the meeting had begun.

"It is unfortunate to break such a talented shinobi like you, Hatake, but it is inevitable," Izumi said. "You have stuck your neck too far into places you should not even have neared. I call this meeting to an end with the conclusion that the Sharingan be removed from Hatake Kakashi's body. I will arrange for the medics to – "

"No," Kakashi said.

Izumi frowned. "What?"

"It doesn't matter to me what decisions you have made," Kakashi clarified. "I will simply not obey them."

"You have no say in our decisions," said Outa slowly in a cold voice that rang with warning.

"You have no means by which to make me listen to what you say," Kakashi responded quietly, and clearly.

"The Sharingan belongs to our clan!" said another female Elder fiercely. "It is our right to choose what is to be done with it."

"It is a chosen rule, Hatake," Izumi said. "Are you going to defy it and follow in the footsteps of your unfortunate father?"

Kakashi paused for a moment, though not out of hesitation. He was slightly surprised to hear the mentioning of his father in such a line of topic as the Sharingan. "I will break the rules without thinking twice," he replied, "if it is for the sake of my comrade. Obito gave me this eye, and I will protect it."

"This is outrageous!" shouted an Elder man who had already looked a little red in his face since the meeting had begun. He rose to his feet and glared down at Kakashi with furious, narrow eyes. "It is already unthinkable that you have spent almost two weeks with the Sharingan, and what more, you refuse to follow the decisions that we, the rightful owners of that bloodline trait, have chosen!"

"I am in agreement," several shinobi called out, also rising to their feet. Two or three ANBU shot them disapproving glances, and Fugaku began to shout for them to remain quiet when a few shinobi, including Obito's father snapped back at those already standing. In an instant the room was filled with noise and subtle movement. Through this, Kakashi and Izumi never broke their eye contact. Although Kakashi's eye did not hold anything that might be seen as a challenge to the clan head, it was no longer the passive look that it had been when he had first entered the meeting. Izumi did not show any obvious anger, but his eyes were cold and hard.

"Do you openly defy our decisions?" he asked, his voice only loud enough to reach Kakashi and a few others, but not enough to silence the arguments.

"Yes," Kakashi replied.

"This is ridiculous!" a man cried out from his right, others chorusing it. "Izumi-sama! You cannot allow this to pass!"

Kakashi shifted his eye for the first time and glanced at the middle aged man who was on his feet and in the middle row. "I am serious about this," he said. As he looked from one angry face to another, his eye seemed to quieten them a little. Then he turned back to Izumi, and addressed everyone present. "If you wish to take this Sharingan from me, then you will have to do it by force. I will protect it with my life."

There was a second of stunned silence, then the chaotic atmosphere returned. A few shinobi lunged forward with snarled curses at Kakashi. Izumi sharply turned his eyes to them, his mouth already partway open to stop their stupid action, but a sudden movement and noise from the other side of the room stopped him.

"Wait," Yuki snapped, instantly rising to his full height with a sharp stamp of his foot on the wooden floor. Kakashi hadn't moved from his position, and the three who had leapt at him froze a few paces away. Yuki threw them a look that held cold anger and a somewhat threatening menace. They faltered under his gaze and returned grudgingly to their rows.

"The rest of you sit down as well," Fugaku ordered, and they obeyed without question or further sound. Izumi inclined his head toward Yuki, then turned his attention back to Kakashi. But when the ANBU did not return to his seat, he glanced at him with a slight frown.

"I understand that many of you are angered because Hatake is not listening to your chosen decisions," Yuki said, addressing the Elders, Fugaku and Izumi. "Yet I believe that this matter is beyond your authority." He paused only for a slight second and went on before anyone could speak up. "That Sharingan belongs to Hatake without question. Obito performed the _Mugen Reihou no Hyoushou_ before he died." Yuki paused longer now, and allowed this new piece of information to sink in. "He froze his left eye."

All seven Elders were visibly dumbstruck and Izumi and Fugaku seemed also as shocked, but they managed to constrict the amount that leaked into their expressions. Most of the ANBU stirred and a few of the Jounin exchanged uneasy glances. A murmur rose slowly, but the Clan Head did nothing to stop it. Kakashi turned his head a little to cast a quick look at Yuki with a small frown pulling his brows together.

"When Hatake told me about Obito's death, this one detail caught my attention," Yuki continued. "I quickly researched all the files and ancient scrolls of the Uchiha history and secrets. What I found was this technique. By using chakra, one gathers a great amount of body liquid to the Sharingan eye and stops all the movement of the liquid molecules. Even in ice, there is a slight vibration, but by completely stopping the molecules, you can freeze that area of your body including the nerves, blood flow and also the chakra flow. This technique has only worked successfully when the shinobi using it is nearing death, for it requires an enormously strong will.

"Obito's will was most probably something along the lines of, _this Sharingan belongs to Kakashi and Kakashi only_."

Yuki paused again, to allow the increasing mutterings to die down. Then he went on. "As soon as I knew about this technique I went back to Obito's body. When I checked for the after effects and lingering signs of the _Mugen Reihou no Hyoushou_, they were certainly there."

By now, Izumi had regained his composure, though the Elders were still struggling. The Clan Head fixed Yuki with a firm gaze. "Why have you waited so long in telling me about this?" he demanded. "The body has been cremated. We can no longer confirm what you are saying."

"There isn't any need to worry, Izumi-sama," Yuki responded calmly. "I asked two people to check for the signs besides myself." He glanced down to the opposite side of the room and his eyes skimming over the Jounin and Chuunin rows until they came to rest on a slightly late middle aged man who sat closest to the door and in the furthest row, leaning against the wall with his arms and legs crossed. He was staring with barely focused eyes at the ceiling, clearly not really paying attention at what was being said or done.

"Katsuya-san," Yuki called quietly.

The man jerked and immediately sat bolt upright. "Hai!" he said loudly, his eyes searching the room for whoever had called him. When he noticed that it was Yuki however, he sighed and slumped forward a little. "Oh, it's you."

"Katsuya, did you confirm the after effects of the _Mugen Reihou no Hyoushou_ on Obito's body?" Izumi asked.

"Yeah, I sure did," Katsuya replied. "They were there, clear as anything."

Izumi fell into a thoughtful silence. Katsuya was a close friend of his, and an experienced ninja. He had been a skilled ANBU in his earlier years, and was now a highly honoured Jounin.

"The second person who confirmed the signs was the Hokage-sama himself," Yuki said. This time, instead of the murmur, a deep silence fell on the gathered shinobi. With the exception of Yuki sitting back down, no one moved, all eyes either on Izumi or Kakashi. It was Outa, the Elder who stirred first.

"But how could it be?" he breathed. "The _Mugen Reihou no Hyoushou_ is a technique that was born almost with the Uchiha clan itself. It has not been used since the very first generation and its mere existence has been hidden for as long as I have lived. It is a secret technique amongst even the Secret. How could Obito have known, much less used it?"

"Well, that kid was always good at sneaking into forbidden texts and books," Yuki said fondly. "As for how he could perform it, there's only one possible answer. Obito's feelings towards Hatake must have been that strong."

The oppressing and tingling air that had filled the room for a while suddenly began to draw back. The shinobi started to look at Kakashi with calmer eyes, as if seeing him for the first time in a new light. Izumi's eyes were distant as he too, continued to gaze steadily at Kakashi.

"_The desire to protect those most dear, is always the strongest will_," he recited quietly. The focus returned to his eyes and he looked at Kakashi again. Slowly, a small smile spread on his face and his eyes grew slightly softer. "Indeed," he muttered.

"Izumi Nii-san?" Fugaku inquired.

Izumi did not speak or move for a few long moments, his face brooding and his eyes seeing something that no one else could see. They were fixed on Kakashi's covered left eye.

"As the Head of the Uchiha Clan," Izumi said at last in a clear and stern voice again, "I conclude this meeting with the following outcome: we have neither the right to object Hatake Kakashi's possession of the Sharingan, nor the authority to remove it." A few of the Elders started. Before they could form the words from their thoughts, however, Izumi turned around to face them. "We must not forget, as I have nearly done, what importance love and the volition to protect have had upon our past, our current life and all the future generations. We must not forget the teachings of this village that states that one can only become stronger when one finds something he wants to protect.

"The _Mugen Reihou no Hyoushou_ is certainly no standard technique that any shinobi can master with a decent amount of training. I have done a lot of research on this technique in particular when I became the Clan Head. As you have already mentioned, it is one of the ultimate secrets of this clan. Our ancestors were wise to hide its existence. It can become a serious threat when left in the open. For in the first generation of the Uchiha clan, fifty four attempted the technique. Only two managed to succeed. They feared that their children would experiment with it, purposefully bringing themselves to the verge of death. As you probably already know, these facts are all written in the hidden scrolls.

"The _Mugen Reihou no Hyoushou_ was performed for the first time since the first generation and it was done successfully. Even as the Clan Head and Elders, we hold no authority over this ancient technique of our ancestors. The will of the shinobi performing it is far too great for us to be even compared to. That is my first reason for my conclusion of this discussion. The second reason is, ironically, a slightly moral reasoning."

Izumi looked over his shoulder at Kakashi and stared at him for a little while. Then as he began to turn back to the Elders, he continued. "The friendship between Obito and Hatake was clearly a bond stronger than anyone had thought. I can tell, by simply hearing stories, recalling their pasts and sorting through the rumours about them. It is an embarrassment on my part that I have only realised their bond just now. If we fought Hatake now, it is clear that he would be stronger than any of us. Although with his body's current condition, it may not be true in reality, I am sure you understand what I mean. One can say that it is a psychological issue."

Outa raised his chin a little as if to contradict Izumi, but the Clan Head held up a hand to request silence. The Elder pressed his lips together for a moment, but gave a small nod of consent.

"What is it that we are fighting for? What is it that we want to protect? It is the Sharingan; the honour and pride of our Uchiha Clan. In comparison, Hatake is not fighting for the sake of something of his own. He is prepared to protect the eye – Obito's eye – with his life. To him, it most likely does not even matter that it is a Sharingan. It is simply something Obito gave him. It is Obito's lingering existence that he wants to protect. It may be difficult to understand, but this is how deep their bond of friendship was carved. The burdens of what we are fighting for are on two completely different planes."

Izumi remained facing the Elders for almost two full minutes after he fell silent, his sharp eyes shifting slowly across all seven of them. Most of them stared silently back, showing neither agreement nor disagreement to what he had said, but one or two of them averted their eyes away from his silently demanding gaze. When none of them voiced their thoughts, Izumi turned to his brother. Fugaku had been watching Kakashi and he didn't immediately look at his brother. After a moment, he met Izumi's eyes and gave a short nod. It was enough for Izumi. The Clan Head then turned his seat toward the Chuunin, Jounin and ANBU.

"Are there any objections that you wish you express?" he inquired in a clear voice. The ANBU did not move and the Jounin also remained silent with only a few exceptions. That handful of shinobi shifted their seats slightly and looked at each other hesitantly.

"Please forgive my rudeness, but I cannot agree, Izumi-sama," said a shinobi sitting in the front row, close to Nayu's father.

"Why so?" Izumi asked calmly.

"I – "

"Drop it, Haru," cut in the kunoichi sitting beside him. "Look at the boy. Do you not notice the aura of unwavering will he radiates? His eye hasn't shown even a trace of anxiety or hesitation since the beginning of his questioning. Izumi-sama is right about him."

The shinobi glanced at Kakashi with a frown, but he reluctantly lowered his eyes and nodded. Izumi waited a while longer. Everyone was silent and motionless.

"I then call this meeting to an official end," Izumi said. "Hatake Kakashi will keep the Sharingan, and we have no right or authority to order its removal. No objections." He paused and all the Uchihas nodded their consent. "Thank you all for your attendance. We are finished."

The tense, formal air eased away as the Elders began to rise from their seats and all the other shinobi stood up and walked toward the entrance doors. They talked quietly amongst themselves as they left, and the ANBU followed them out. Fugaku and Izumi were on their feet and they exchanged a few words before the former nodded and also took his leave. Izumi turned to face the Elders who walked slowly past him.

"Izumi," Outa said, "if this goes the wrong way, it is you who will have to inevitably take responsibility."

"I understand," Izumi replied facing the wall. It would indeed be catastrophic if the Sharingan would fall into the wrong hands. He trusted that the boy would be able to keep it safe, but if he were to be killed and the Sharingan taken by another Hidden Village…It was something he certainly did not want to experience. He heard the last Elder's footsteps stepping down from the floor and he sighed quietly. He turned again to follow them out of the Hall, but stopped abruptly when he saw Kakashi standing just behind the mat in the center of the room. They locked gazes once again, but there was no sign of aggression in either their of them. Kakashi closed his one eye and bowed his head low. He remained in that position for a moment, then he straightened, turned and walked away, opening his eye only when he was a few paces away from the door. Izumi was left staring after the boy's back with a look of bemused wonder.

Kakashi walked alone back up the main street of the Uchiha district. Yuki watched him from the rooftop of a tall building. He didn't wait long before another two ANBU joined him. Ryo pulled off his animal mask and stepped forward to stand beside Yuki, while Nayu stayed a pace behind them, gathering her hair into a ponytail to keep it from being swept to and fro by the wind.

"He's allowed to keep it," Yuki said.

"That's good," Ryo responded, trailing the small figure of Kakashi in the distance. "Judging by the time you spent in that Hall, I'm guessing it didn't go all too smoothly?"

"It would have gone more smoothly if you had told them about the _Mugen Reihou no Hyoushou_ earlier in the meeting," Nayu said with a slightly accusatory tone.

Yuki nodded absently. "It probably would have, yes," he said, watching Kakashi disappear beyond the clan district gateway.

"Then why – "

"I wanted to know his feelings and thoughts," Yuki replied, not bothering to wait for her to finish the whole question. "I wanted to know what he thought about the Sharingan; how he felt about it and how he would answer to the Elders and Izumi-sama. I needed to know exactly how far he would go to defend it."

"And if he didn't go as far as you wanted or expected, you wouldn't have mentioned the frozen eye?" Ryo guessed. Yuki nodded and Nayu gaped at him.

"How could you? He could have lost – "

"Yuki-san was worried about him, Nayu," Ryo cut in. "Hatake can't protect and master the Sharingan with a half decided mind. To rush to someone's side is certainly a way of protecting, but keep in mind that it isn't the only way."

"Well," Yuki sighed. "He met my expectations and went even beyond them." He grinned. "Just like always, that little brat."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Kakashi reached his apartment building, but he stopped by the main entrance. After a moment of thought, he changed his mind and continued down the street. He took to small alleys and narrow streets to avoid the large crowds. The meeting hadn't been too bad, and Yuki-s help had been appreciative. He wouldn't have hesitated fighting with the shinobi who had come at him, but things were always better off without much violence. And although the Uchiha hadn't really intimidated him, he had felt comforted by the presence of Nayu and her father.

He soon left the last buildings and he walked up the paths that led to the training grounds. The wind was picking up and the air was turning colder despite it being just past noon. He passed a team of young Genin and their teacher by the wide river and though the Jounin glanced at him with curiosity, he paid them no attention. He neared the line of trees and his pace slowed considerably. When his feet finally came to a halt, he stood before the Memorial Stone. He stared down at the face of the black stone, his eye fixed on the last name on the long list: Uchiha Obito.

Kakashi stood gazing at the name for a long time. He suddenly didn't feel the biting cold or the rushing wind. It was just him, the Stone, the name and his memories. Nothing penetrated this new dimension he was suddenly plunged into. Even the arrival of a presence almost half an hour later seemed trivial in the strong swirl of his mind. But when the presence didn't leave or come forward, Kakashi slowly surfaced from his memories.

"What is it?" he asked without turning around. He knew already who it was without having to confirm it with his eye.

"I went to the hospital a number of times but you were never alone," Yugao said quietly, still not moving from her position a few ten odd metres behind him. "They told me you had already left when I went today. An ANBU told me just now that you would be here." She hesitated a little when he didn't respond, then she moved forward. From her pocket, she withdrew a hitai-ate, and she offered it to him when she came up beside him. Kakashi glanced at it, then slowly reached out to it with his right hand. The metal felt smooth and cool against his hand as he took it.

"Thank you," he said, raising his eyes from the hitai-ate and meeting her gaze. "You kept the promise. And sorry for using such a threat back then. It must have scared you."

Yugao shook her head and her long hair whipped from side to side. Kakashi lowered his hand and returned his eye to the name of his best friend. Yugao's eyes flickered to his distant eye, to the stone and back again.

"Are you…all right?" she asked, the hesitance returning to her voice and she fidgeted with her sleeves a little. Kakashi nodded once, but clearly. She suddenly got the impression that he wanted to be alone and she bit her lower lip, bringing her hands nervously together.

"Well, I guess I'll get going," she stammered, stepping back a stride. Then she turned completely and walked purposefully away. She didn't look back until she had gone at least a hundred metres or so. When she quickly glanced over her shoulder, she saw him still standing as he had been before, just with the two tails of the forehead protector blowing in the wind.

A couple of minutes later, when Yugao's presence disappeared from his range of perception, Kakashi lifted the hitai-ate in his open palm and stared down at it. It looked slightly tattered from the years he had worn it during training, missions and wars, but the metal rectangle was unharmed.

"Was is you who told her?" Kakashi inquired out loud. Yuki dropped down beside him, his ANBU mask twirling in his left hand.

"She looked cute," he commented. "I saw her a few times in the hospital around the corridors near your room, and she asked me whether I knew where you were when she saw me in the streets."

"She came to give me back my hitai-ate," Kakashi explained. Yuki cast him a side long glance.

"Hatake," he said with the unusual tone of seriousness, "forget about trying to get revenge." Kakashi looked up at him but said nothing. "You'll experience it yourself when you grow older, but I've already seen dozens of idiots who base their lives solely on revenge. It may spur you to get stronger and you may get to kill whoever you wanted to kill, but then what? There's nothing beyond the act of revenge. No joy or grief, no desire, no likes or dislikes. The end result of an avenger is an empty shell of what used to be a soul."

Yuki paused, then sighed and shifted his position so that he still stood beside Kakashi, but he faced the opposite direction. "Well, I don't intend to dictate your life. It's your choice," he said in a slightly lighter voice. He placed a hand on his right shoulder and gave it a soft squeeze. "That's all I came to say, but remember that you can always trust me." With that said, he began to walk away, treading silently over the grass.

"Thank you, Yuki-san," Kakashi said, though he did not move. Yuki glanced quickly over his shoulder and grinned. As the next wind blew the grass to the side, he was gone, and Kakashi was alone once again.

He held the hitai-ate loosely in his hand and Yuki's words lingered in his mind. _Revenge._ The word echoed hollowly in his head. He had wanted revenge when Obito had died in his arms. It was 'revenge' that had spurred him into attacking Orochimaru again and again even when his body had screamed for mercy. It had probably been 'revenge' that had allowed him to stumble back to the village. But ever since he had woken up in the hospital after the dream he could not remember, that burning desire had ceased to exist. He didn't know where it had gone, but even when he had purposefully reminded himself about avenging Obito, the thought was not insisting. Not only that, a part of him argued against such a stupid and meaningless idea.

All of a sudden the wind stopped blowing, but it didn't make it any warmer. If anything, the cold pressed in closer like icy hands reaching for anything and everything warm. Then the first snow flake floated soundlessly down from the grey clouds, followed by many others. They were large and wet, clinging immediately onto the blades of grass, making it easier for the next layer to pile onto the first.

Kakashi swapped the hitai-ate into his left hand in the sling. With his right hand, he raised it to his bandages around his eye and head, and he undid the clips that held them in place. They instantly fell loose and it took only a few deft pulls for it to slither off completely. They fell gracefully onto the slightly white ground creating a small bundle of bandages.

Kakashi kept both his eyes closed while he took the hitai-ate back into his free hand. Though it was slightly more difficult with one hand, he managed to tie the forehead protector in its rightful place. His hand fell to his side. Then slowly, Hatake Kakashi opened both his eyes, revealing the Sharingan that was a reminder of his past, and his right eye that vowed to never let his Nakama be killed again.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Translations: 

Mugen Reihou no Hyoushou: the ice sheet of an eternal salute.  
Nakama: friends, comrades, companions.

Well, that's it. This story is finished…I feel so sad and empty now…Spain was alright. I spent most of the time thinking and writing this fanfic anyways. (sigh).  
Anyways, I hope everyone enjoyed my story, and for those constant reviewers, thank you so very much! (big hug) They were a really big motivator. And for those who were simply reading along, please remember my one request of you that's stated at the beginning of the chapter. It's been around a year since I began writing Nakama, and I've enjoyed every second of it!

In regard to the sequel, I'll update everyone as soon I as I can in my profile. Please keep looking!

THANK YOU ALL for your support!

.LinSetsu.


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